dear!” exclaimed Mr. Pennell laconically. “And how do you expect me to help you?” he enquired, after a pause. “I want you to see the Baroness, or Miss Brandt, and tell them that
this girl must cease all communication with Captain Pullen,” said
Margaret, “tell them that he is engaged to marry Miss Leyton--that the
marriage is fixed to take place next spring, and that the Walthamstowe
family will be excessively annoyed if any scandal of this sort occurs
to break it off.”

“Do they not know that such an engagement exists?”

“No! that is the unfortunate part of it! Elinor Leyton is so absurdly
scrupulous that she will not have the fact made public, and forbade
me to tell Miss Brandt about it! Elinor went to the Red House where
Miss Brandt is staying this morning and had a most stormy interview
with her. She came here afterwards in a most distressed state of mind. Harriet Brandt had told her that she had secured Ralph Pullen and meant
to keep him--that he had told her he loved her--and that Miss Leyton
was too cold and prudish a nature for any man to be happy with! Of
course Elinor was terribly upset. She seldom shows her feelings, but it
was quite impossible for her to disguise them to-day. I begged her to
leave the matter in my hands, and she consented to do so. That is why I
telegraphed for you.”

“It is rather an awkward predicament!” said Anthony Pennell,
thoughtfully, “you will forgive me for saying, Mrs. Pullen, that Ralph
is so very likely to have done this sort of thing, that I feel one
might be treading on very delicate ground--in fact, putting one’s foot
in it--by interfering. You know what Ralph is--selfish and indolent and
full of vanity. He considers it far too much trouble to make love (as
it is called) to a woman, but he will accept any amount of love that is
offered him, so long as it gives him no trouble. If this Miss Brandt
is all that you and the doctor here say of her, she may possibly have
drawn Ralph on, and taken his languid satisfaction as proof that he
agreed to all she said and did. But it will make the _dénouement_ just
as unpleasant. Besides, how will Ralph himself take my interference in
the matter? He may have some designs on this girl--some ideas in the
future connected with her--and will ask what business I had to come
between them.”

“O! no! Did I not tell you that he had left her letters in his grate!”

“That might be part of his indolent carelessness, or they may have been
left there by design, as a means of breaking the ice between himself
and Miss Leyton. Is not he, after all, the most proper person to appeal
to? Why not wait till your husband returns, and let him speak to his
brother?”

“I am so afraid in that case, that Ralph might consider that he had
gone too far with Miss Brandt, and honour demanded that he should marry
her! And, Mr. Pennell, Doctor Phillips could tell you things, if he
chose, to prove to you that Harriet Brandt is not a fit wife for any
decent man.”

Anthony Pennell thought again for a few minutes--sitting silent with
his hand caressing his smooth chin. Then he said:

“If you are very much bent on my doing what I can in this matter, I see
only one way to accomplish it. I must enter the Red House under a flag
of truce. Did you know this Baroness Gobelli? Can you tell me what sort
of woman she is? I never heard the name before!”

“She is quite a character,” replied Margaret; “I believe her husband
_is_ a German Baron, but she was a Mrs. Bates, and is an extraordinary
Baroness. A strange mixture also, of vulgarity and refined tastes. She
drops all her aspirates, yet talks familiarly of aristocratic and royal
titles, she dresses like a cook out on Sundays, and yet has a passion
for good paintings and old china.”

At the last words, Anthony Pennell pricked up his ears. “A passion for old china!” he exclaimed, “then there must be some good
in her! Cannot you give me an introduction to the Red House on the plea
that I am a connoisseur and am desirous of seeing her collection?”

“Of course I can, but how can you approach these people in amity, with
a censure of Miss Brandt’s conduct in your hand? Madame Gobelli is
infatuated with Harriet Brandt! I was telling poor Elinor only this
afternoon, that I should not be at all surprised if she were at the
bottom of all this unpleasantness.”

“She could not be at the bottom of anything unless Ralph had given
her cause,” replied Mr. Pennell, who had never had a good opinion of
his cousin’s straightforward dealing, “and however it may turn out,
I should think he would have a heavy reckoning to settle with Miss
Leyton! This is not the first time, remember! You have not forgotten
the trouble Arthur had to get him out of that scrape with the
laundress’s girl at Aldershot, the year before last!”

“Yes! Arthur told me about it,” replied Margaret. “But you are going to
help us, this time, Mr. Pennell, are you not?”

“In so far as procuring an introduction to the Baroness, and taking
my opportunity to let her know the true state of affairs with Miss
Leyton, yes,” said Mr. Pennell, “but there, my responsibility must
cease. Should Ralph have committed himself in writing, or anything of
that sort, you must promise to let them fight it out their own way. I
daresay there will be no trouble about the matter. I can see how it
has occurred at a glance. Ralph has been merely amusing himself with
the girl, and she has taken his philandering in earnest. But I wish he
would leave that sort of thing off. It will ruin his married life if
he does not!”

“Yes! indeed, and Elinor Leyton really loves him, more, I am sure, than
he imagines. She declared this afternoon, that if it were not put a
complete stop to, she should break off her engagement. And I think she
would be right!”

“So do I,” acquiesced Anthony Pennell. “Well! if these people are
ordinarily decent, they will, as soon as they hear the truth, prevent
their young friend interfering with another woman’s rights. Write me
the introduction, Mrs. Pullen, and I will pay the Red House a visit
as soon as its owner gives me leave. And now let us talk of something
pleasanter. How soon do you expect Arthur to arrive?”

“Any day,” replied Margaret, “and I am longing so for him to come!”

“Of course you are! Will he remain long in England?”

“Only a few weeks! He has taken three months’ leave. Then, I shall
return with him to Hosur.”

“And you like the idea of India?”

“O! anything--anything--to find myself with him again,” she answered
feverishly. The conversation turned upon more indifferent subjects, and armed with
the note of introduction to the Baroness, Anthony Pennell presently
took his leave. He did not like the task imposed upon him, and he
hardly knew how he should set about it, but on consideration he
thought he could do no harm by having a look at the young lady, who
had taken the fancy of his fickle-minded cousin Ralph, and leaving his
future action to be decided by the interview.