I thought that she had fainted, but she recovered herself by a supreme effort.

Is there no such thing as a gentleman? she gasped.

You do Sir Charles an injustice. He did burn the letter. But sometimes a letter may be legible even when burned. You acknowledge now that you wrote it?

Yes, I did write it, she cried, pouring out her soul in a torrent of words. I did write it. Why should I deny it? I have no reason to be ashamed of it. I wished him to help me. I believed that if I had an interview I could gain his help, so I asked him to meet me.

But why at such an hour?

Because I had only just learned that he was going to London next day and might be away for months. There were reasons why I could not get there earlier.

But why a rendezvous in the garden instead of a visit to the house?

Do you think a woman could go alone at that hour to a bachelor's house?

Well, what happened when you did get there?

I never went.

Mrs. Lyons!

No, I swear it to you on all I hold sacred. I never went. Something intervened to prevent my going.

What was that?