and fled to evade the wedding at St. Gudule's. Upon whom would
suspicion fall? Upon the man who was supposed to have sailed for New
York, and upon his friends. Where have you been during the last few
weeks? If you did not answer, the world would grin and say, 'In New
York, and of her own volition!' Don't you see, Dorothy, there is but
one way to end this horrible mistake of mine? Only one way to
protect you from humiliation, even degradation?"

"You mean by--" she began, faintly, afraid to complete the dreaded
surmise.

"By the surrender of the real criminal," he said, calmly.

"I will not agree to that!" she cried, imperatively. "If you give
yourself up to them, Philip Quentin, I will deny every word of your
confession," she went on, triumphantly.

"I'm afraid they would doubt you," he responded, but his heart
leaped gladly.

"And do you know what else I shall do if you persist? I'll tell the
world that you were not alone in this affair, and I'll send the
officers to Castle Craneycrow to arrest every--" she was crying
hysterically, when he interrupted.

"But you have promised to shield them!"

"Promised! I will forget that I ever made a promise. Philip Quentin,
either I go to Brussels alone or every person in Craneycrow goes to
prison with you. I'll not spare one of them. Promise? What do I care