He was working in his studio when he read it and five minutes later he was tearing up-town to seek the author of it.

He understood its object, of course; they wanted to force his hand, to shame him into this marriage, to so entangle him with the girl that no other alternative would be possible to an honourable man.

It was a despicable trick and he had no doubt that his father was at the back of it.

So his mind now was fully made up.

He would go away at once where they could not make his life a burden with this odious marriage which was fast becoming a nightmare to him.