‘You are sure it was Mr. Eric.’  Oh, the look of intense relief on Mr. Hamilton’s face!  He must have believed him dead all this time.

’I am nearly sure, sir.  I saw him again in town.  I was passing the Albert Memorial when I looked up at one of the fine houses opposite, and saw a young workman on the balcony with a painter’s brush in his hand:  the sun was shining full on his face.  I saw him plainly then.’

Mr. Hamilton started from his seat.  ’If this be true!—­my father’s son gaining his bread as a house-painter!’

‘It is true,’ I whispered; ‘for I saw him myself, and told Gladys.’

‘You saw him!—­you!’ with an air of utter incredulity.

’Yes; and I tried to speak to him.  He was so like the picture in Gladys’s room, I thought it must be Eric.  But he would not hear me, and in a moment he was gone.  The men called him Jack Poynter, and said he was a gentleman, but no one knew where he lived.  Oh, I have tried so hard to find him for you, but he will not be found.’

‘And you did not tell me of this,’ very reproachfully.

‘Gladys would not let me tell you,’ I returned:  ’we could not be sure, and—­’ But he put up his hand to stop me.

‘That will do,’ in a tone of suppressed grief that went to my heart.  ’I will not wrong you if I can help it; no doubt you did it for the best; you did not willingly deceive me.’

‘Never!  I have never deceived you, Mr. Hamilton.’

’Not intentionally.  I will do you justice even now; but, oh,’—­and here he clinched his right hand, and I saw the veins on it stand out like whip-cord,—­’how I have been betrayed!  Those I have trusted have brought trouble and confusion in my household; and, good God! they are women, and I cannot curse them.’

I saw Leah quail beneath this burst of most righteous indignation.  The blinding tears rushed to my eyes as I heard him:  in spite of his sternness, he had been so simple and so unsuspicious.  He trusted people so fully, he was so generous in his confidence, and yet the woman he loved had played him false, and the pitiful creatures he had sheltered under his roof had hatched this conspiracy against his peace.

‘You can leave me now,’ he continued harshly, turning to Leah.  ’I will not trust myself to say more to you.  If you receive mercy and not justice at my hands, it is because your confederate is even more guilty than you.  I cannot spare the one without letting the other go unpunished.  To-morrow morning, before the household is up, you and everything belonging to you shall leave this house.  If you ever set foot in Heathfield again it will be at your own peril.  Go up to your own room now and pack your boxes; I shall take the precaution of turning the key in your door to prevent your holding communication with any member of my household.’

‘I give you my word, sir—­’ began Leah, turning visibly pale at the idea of finding herself a prisoner.