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〃You must make allowance for this poor girl； placed in so
unprecedented。 a position。〃
〃I will make no allowance。 I am very angry indeed； and I have been
shamefully used。〃
〃I think that I heard a ring；〃 said Holmes。 〃Yes； there are steps on
the landing。 If I cannot persuade you to take a lenient view of the
matter； Lord St。 Simon； I have brought an advocate here who may be
more successful。〃 He opened the door and ushered in a lady and
gentleman。 〃Lord St。 Simon；〃 said he； 〃allow me to introduce you to
Mr。 and Mrs。 Francis Hay Moulton。 The lady； I think； you have
already met。〃
At the sight of these newcomers our client had sprung from his
seat and stood very erect； with his eyes cast down and his hand thrust
into the breast of his frock…coat； a picture of offended dignity。
The lady had taken a quick step forward； but had held out her hand
to him； but he still refused to raise his eyes。 It was as well for his
resolution； perhaps； for her pleading face was one which it was hard
to resist。
〃You're angry； Robert；〃 said she。 〃Well； I guess you have every
cause to be。〃
〃Pray make no apology to me；〃 said Lord St。 Simon bitterly。
〃Oh； yes； I know that I have treated you real bad and that I
should have spoken to you before I went； but I was kind of rattled；
and from the time when I saw Frank here again I just didn't know
what I was doing or saying。 I only wonder I didn't fall down and do
a faint right there before the altar。〃
〃Perhaps； Mrs。 Moulton； you would like my friend and me to leave the
room while you explain this matter？〃
〃If I may give an opinion；〃 remarked the strange gentleman； 〃we've
had just a little too much secrecy over this business already。 For
my part； I should like all Europe and America to hear the rights of
it。〃 He was a small； wiry； sunburnt man； clean…shaven； with a sharp
face and alert manner。
〃Then I'll tell our story right away；〃 said the lady。 〃Frank here
and I met in '84； in McQuire's camp； near the Rockies； where pa was
working a claim。 We were engaged to each other； Frank and I； but
then one day father struck a rich pocket and made a pile； while poor
Frank here had a claim that petered out and came to nothing。 The
richer pa grew the poorer was Frank； so at last pa wouldn't hear of
our engagement lasting any longer； and he took me away to 'Frisco。
Frank wouldn't throw up his hand； though； so he followed me there； and
he saw me without pa knowing anything about it。 It would only have
made him mad to know； so we just fixed it all up for ourselves。
Frank said that he would go and make his pile； too； and never come
back to claim me until he had as much as pa。 So then I promised to
wait for him to the end of time and pledged myself not to marry anyone
else while he lived。 'Why shouldn't we be married right away； then；'
said he； 'and then I will feel sure of you； and I won't claim to be
your husband until I come back？' Well； we talked it over； and he had
fixed it all up so nicely； with a clergyman all ready in waiting； that
we just did it right there； and then Frank went off to seek his
fortune； and I went back to pa。
〃The next I heard of Frank was that he was in Montana； and then he
went prospecting in Arizona； and then I heard of him from New
Mexico。 After that came a long newspaper story about how a miners'
camp had been attacked by Apache Indians； and there was my Frank's
name among the killed。 I fainted dead away； and I was very sick for
months after。 Pa thought I had a decline and took me to half the
doctors in 'Frisco。 Not a word of news came for a year and more； so
that I never doubted that Frank was really dead。 Then Lord St。 Simon
came to 'Frisco； and we came to London； and a marriage was arranged；
and pa was very pleased； but I felt all the time that no man on this
earth would ever take the place in my heart that had been given to
my poor Frank。
〃Still； if I had married Lord St。 Simon； of course I'd have done
my duty by him。 We can't command our love； but we can our actions。 I
went to the altar with him with the intention to make him just as good
a wife as it was in me to be。 But you may imagine what I felt when；
just as I came to the altar rails； I glanced back and saw Frank
standing and looking at me out of the first pew。 I thought it was
his ghost at first； but when I looked again there he was still； with a
kind of question in his eyes； as if to ask me whether I were glad or
sorry to see him。 I wonder I didn't drop。 I know that everything was
turning round； and the words of the clergyman were just like the
buzz of a bee in my ear。 I didn't know what to do。 Should I stop the
service and make a scene in the church？ I glanced at him again； and he
seemed to know what I was thinking； for he raised his finger to his
lips to tell me to be still。 Then I saw him scribble on a piece of
paper； and I knew that he was writing me a note。 As I passed his pew
on the way out I dropped my bouquet over to him； and he slipped the
note into my hand when he returned me the flowers。 It was only a
line asking me to join him when he made the sign to me to do so。 Of
course I never doubted for a moment that my first duty was now to him；
and I determined to do just whatever he might direct。
〃When I got back I told my maid； who had known him in California；
and had always been his friend。 I ordered her to say nothing； but to
get a few things packed and my ulster ready。 I know I ought to have
spoken to Lord St。 Simon； but it was dreadful hard before his mother
and all those great people。 I just made up my mind to run away and
explain afterwards。 I hadn't been at the table ten minutes before I
saw Frank out of the window at the other side of the road。 He beckoned
to me and then began walking into the Park。 I slipped out； put on my
things； and followed him。 Some woman came talking something or other
about Lord St。 Simon to me…seemed to me from the little I heard as
if he had a little secret of his own before marriage also…but I
managed to get away from her and soon overtook Frank。 We got into a
cab together； and away we drove to some lodgings he had taken in
Gordon Square； and that was my true wedding after all those years of
waiting。 Frank had been a prisoner among the Apaches； had escaped；
came on to 'Frisco； found that I had given him up for dead and had
gone to England； followed me there； and had come upon me at last on
the very morning of my second wedding。〃
〃I saw it in a paper；〃 explained the American。 〃It gave the name and
the church but not where the lady lived。〃
〃Then we had a talk as to what we should do； and Frank was all for
openness； but I was so ashamed of it all that I felt as if I should
like to vanish away and never see any of them again…just sending a
line to pa； perhaps； to show him that I was alive。 It was awful to
me to think of all those lords and ladies sitting round that
breakfast…table and waiting for me to come back。 So Frank took my
wedding clothes and things and made a bundle of them； so that I should
not be traced； and dropped them away somewhere where no one could find
them。 It is likely that we should have gone on to Paris to…morrow；
only that this good gentleman； Mr。 Holmes； came round to us this
evening； though how he found us is more than I can think； and he
showed us very clearly and kindly that I was wrong and that Frank
was right； and that we should be putting ourselves in the wrong if
we were so secret。 Then he offered to give us a chance of talking to
Lord St。 Simon alone； and so we came right away round to his rooms
at once。 Now； Robert； you have heard it all； and I am very sorry if
I have given you pain； and I hope that you do not think very meanly of
me。〃
Lord St。 Simon had by no means relaxed his rigid attitude； but had
listened with a frowning brow and a compressed lip to this long
narrative。
〃Excuse me；〃 be said； 〃but it is not my custom to discuss my most
intimate personal affairs in this public manner。〃
〃Then you won't forgive me？ You won't shake hands before I go？〃
〃Oh； certainly； if it would give you any