in which he had been when he last saw him; and what perplexed him most, yea, and absolutely confounded him, was the sight of Scone Dacres with his demon wife, whom he had been pursuing for the sake of vengeance, and whose frenzy had been so violent that he himself had been drawn with him on purpose to try and restrain him.  And now what was the injured husband doing with his demon wife?  Doing! why, doing the impassioned lover most vigorously; sustaining her steps most tenderly; grasping her hand; pushing aside the bushes; assisting her down the slope; overwhelming her, in short; hovering round her, apparently unconscious that there was in all the wide world any other being than Mrs. Willoughby.  And as Hawbury looked upon all this his eyes dilated and his lips parted involuntarily in utter wonder; and finally, as Dacres reached the spot, the only greeting which he could give his friend was,

“By Jove!”

And now, while Mrs. Willoughby and Ethel were embracing with tears of joy, and overwhelming one another with questions, the Baron sought information from Dacres.

Dacres then informed him all about Tozer’s advent and departure.

“Tozer!” cried the Baron, in intense delight.  “Good on his darned old head!  Hurrah for the parson!  He shall marry us for this—­he, and no other, by thunder!”

Upon which Mrs. Willoughby and Ethel exchanged glances, but said not a word.  Not they.

But in about five minutes, when Mrs. Willoughby had Ethel apart a little by herself, she said,

“Oh, Ethel dear, isn’t it dreadful?”

“What?” asked Ethel.

“Why, poor Minnie.”

“Poor Minnie?”

“Yes.  Another horrid man.  And he’ll be claiming her too.  And, oh dear! what shall I do?”

“Why, you’ll have to let her decide for herself.  I think it will be—­this person.”

Mrs. Willoughby clasped her hands, and looked up with a pretty little expression of horror.

“And do you know, dear,” added Ethel, “I’m beginning to think that it wouldn’t be so very bad.  He’s Lord Hawbury’s friend, yon know, and then he’s very, very brave; and, above all, think what we all owe him.”

Mrs. Willoughby gave a resigned sigh.

And now the Baron was wilder with impatience than ever.  He had questioned Dacres, and found that he could give him no information whatever as to Tozer’s route, and consequently had no idea where to search.  But he still had boundless confidence in “Yankee Doodle.”

“That’s the way,” said Dacres; “we heard it ever so far, and it was the first thing that told us it was safe to return.  We didn’t dare to venture before.”

Meanwhile Hawbury had got Dacres by himself, and poured a torrent of questions over him.  Dacres told him in general terms how he was captured.  Then he informed him how Mrs. Willoughby was put in the same room, and his discovery that it was Minnie that the Italian wanted.