Ravenshoe. By Henry Kingsley.

282 RAVENSHOE.
"I don't mean about Adelaide; let that go by. Perhaps I am
glad that that is as it is. But have you known where Charles
was lately? Your wife told William to come to her this morning; that is why I ask."
" I have known a very short time. When William Ravenshoe
came this morning, I gave him every information. Charles will
be with you to-day."
"I am satisfied."
"I don't care to justify myself, but if it had not been for me you
would never have seen him. And more. I am not the first man,
Lord Saltire, who has done what I have done."
" No, of course not," said Lord Saltire. "I can't fling the first
stone at you; God forgive me."
"' But you must see, Lord Saltire, that I could not have guessed
that Ellen was his sister."
"Hey? " said Lord Saltire. "Say that again."
" I say that, when I took Ellen Horton away from Ravenshoe,
I did not know that she was Charles's sister."
Lord Saltire fell back in his chair, and said, —
"Good God!"
" It is very terrible, looked at one way, Lord Saltire. If you
come to look at it another, it amounts to this, that she was only,
as far as I know, a gWmekeeper's daughter. Do you remember
what you said to Charles and me, when we were rusticated?"
"Yes. I said that one vice was considered more venial than
another vice now-a-days; and I say so still. I had sooner that
you had died of delirium tremens in a ditch than done this."
" So had not I, Lord Saltire. When I became involved with
Adelaide, I thought Ellen was provided for; I, even then, had
not heard this esclandre about Charles. She refused a splendid
offer of marriage before she left me."
"We thought she was dead. Where is she gone?"'" I have no idea. She refused everything. She stayed on as
Adelaide's maid, and left us suddenly. We have lost all trace
of her."
" What a miserable, dreadful business! " said Lord Saltire.
" Very so," said Lord Welter. "Had n't we better change the
subject, my lord? " he added, dryly. "I am not at all sure that I
shall submit to much more cross-questioning. You must not push
me too far, or I shall get savage."
"I won't," said Lord Saltire. "But, Welter, for God's sake,
answer me two more questions. Not offensive ones, on my honor."
"Fifty, if you will; only consider my rascally temper."
"Yes, yes! When Ellen was with you, did she ever hint that
she was in possession of any information about the Ravenshoes? "
" Yes; or rather, when she went, she left a letter, and in it she
said that she had something to tell Charles."