"I know all, my love," said the young man, kissing her. "I arrived last night and saw Mrs Gabriel. _She_ did not spare me."
"She is no more mother of mine, Sybil. She told me she hated me; called me a thief, and turned me out of the castle. I shall never enter it again--never! Last night I slept at Pratt's. He was a good Samaritan and took me in. This morning I went to see Hale."
Sybil clapped her hands. "Oh, then it is all right!" she cried joyfully. "I could have told my father that you had got the money from him, but I thought it better you should do so yourself."
"I can't do that without Hale calling me a liar."
"That in the eyes of the people here I am both a liar and a thief. Hale, whom I saw this morning, denies having given me the money."
"Has he spread that all about the town?" asked Sybil, scarcely able to believe her ears.
"No, he is too clever for that. Now I know, Sybil, why he gave me the money in gold. So that he might be able to deny the debt if occasion arose, as it has done. Had he given me a cheque his signature would have given him the lie."
"But what does he mean by denying that he lent you the money?"
"Well, I'll give you Pratt's theory. I believe it is the true one," and the young man rapidly repeated the conversation he had had with the American on the previous evening. "So you see you were right, Sybil."
"I knew it," said Sybil in low tones. "Do you remember how I told you on the day of Mrs Bathurst's picnic? What is to be done now?"
"There is nothing to be done save to fight," said Leo, fiercely, "and fight I shall. I had intended to enlist, but I shall not do that until I have cleared my name. To leave here now would be to give colour to the lies that are being told about me. I shall stay with Pratt. He is my friend, and you, Sybil, also. We three will fight it out."
"Mr Raston is also your friend, Leo. He says he does not believe for one moment that you did what you are accused of doing."
"Thank God for that! How can anyone who knows me believe me guilty of so terrible a crime? To rob a church! Think of it, Sybil. Your father? Does he believe I did this vile thing?"
"He suspends his judgment, Leo, until he has heard your defence."
"Alas, Sybil, what defence can I make save state that I am innocent? I cannot make Hale confess that he lent me the money, and I cannot prove, independently of him, that he did so. This morning he coolly denied all knowledge of the loan, but said that for my sake he would not speak of the visit I had made or the threats I had used."