"There is one person you
do not seem to consider at all, and that is the man who lies here in
peril through Ferris's fault," she said. "Is there nothing due to
him?"
Dane noticed the sternness in her eyes, and glanced as if for support
towards Miss Barrington. "I fancy he would be the last to claim it
if he knew what we do. Still, in the meanwhile, I leave the affair
to your aunt and you. We would like to have your views before doing
anything further."
He rose as he spoke, and when he had gone out, Maud Barrington sat
down at a writing-table. "Aunt," she said quietly, "I will ask
Ferris to come here at once."
It was next day when Ferris came, evidently ill at ease, though he
greeted Miss Barrington with elaborate courtesy, and would have done
the same with her niece, but the girl turned from him with visible
disdain.
"Sit down," she said coldly. "Colonel Barrington is away, but his
sister will take his place, and after him I have the largest stake in
the welfare of Silverdale. Now, a story has come to our ears which
if it had not been substantiated would have appeared incredible.
Shall Miss Barrington tell it you?"
Ferris, who was a very young man, flushed, but the color faded and
left his cheeks a trifle gray. He was not a very prepossessing lad,
for it requires a better physique than he was endowed with to bear
the stamp of viciousness that is usually most noticeable on the
feeble, but he was distinguished by a trace of arrogance that not
infrequently served him as well as resolution.
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