agony scarcely less terrible at Raynham. He had been summoned from the dinner-table in the marquee by one of his servants, w

see the boy who had brought it. He found a lad waiting for him under the trees ne

er were well calculated t

ous. It consisted of

o Raynham without a moment's delay. There he will receive ample evidence of her real character. He may

ESS COUN

letter as this away from him with indignant scorn; bu

this nameless correspondent - all his noblest impulses urged him to confide blindly and unquestioningly in the truth of the wife he loved;

are enjoying themselves too much to trouble themselves about my absence. If

o time in putting it into execution. He ordered his horse, O

asked for him, but was told there had not bee

he to wait? Half ashamed of himself for having yielded to the tempter, restless and uneasy in s

he September moon shone broad and full. It was eleven o'clock when the sound of approaching wheels proclaimed the return of the picnic party; and until that hour the baronet had

humour to play upon the jealousy of a husband of fifty," mused the baronet, as he brooded over his folly. "I wish to heaven I

th the rest. For the moment, he forgot all about his suspicions of the last fortnight. He thought only

ave melted away; all his doubts would have vanished before a smile from her. But though Sir Oswald found his wife's barouche the firs

he had more than an hour's start of us; and with that light vehicle

rington! What do you

nt. Lady Eversleigh had left the Wizard's Cave more than an ho

or of his lips, betrayed the intensity of his emotion. He sent out mounted grooms to search the different roads between the castle and the

Victor Carrington two guilty creatures, who had abandoned themselves to the folly and madne

f possibility; but horrible suspicions racked his brain as he paced

ng dead upon the hard, cruel road, than that he should hear th

of a young man who ought to be little more than a stranger to her? She is no ignorant or foolish girl; she has shown herself able to hold her own

y had been discovered. Inquiries had been made everywhere along the road, but without result.

andoned himse

to pay for his romantic marriage - his blind confidence in the woman who had fascinated and bewitched him. He bow

ead buried in his clasped hands, s

y locked, and Sir Oswald told his servant that he needed no help. He spoke in a firm voice; for he knew that the valet's ear would b

m his lips as he gazed upo

the day of her death. No hand was ever to rob her of them. They were the free gift of his boundless love! to be shared only by her children, should heaven bless her and her husband with

ls in the corridor without. The wheels belonged to an invalid chair, used by Captain Copplestone when the

cked at his old

he said; "I want to

estone; I can't see any one this

t and will see you, and I shal

h a heavy-headed cane accomp

itted the captain, who pushed his c

when Sir Oswald had shut the door,

you kn

ce of your bed, which I can see through the open d

has fallen upon

away - that's what

r Oswald. "It is

is all

wife has

float, and I have come here in consequence of that rumo

m his friend with a bi

e," he said, "but I have no wish to deceive you

my oldest friend. When I first heard of your marriage, I told you that you were a fool. That was plain-spoken enough, if you like. When I saw your wife, I told you that had changed my mind, an

olation in such friendship as this. For the first tame since midnight a ray of hope dawned u

s dressing-room, and made even a more than usual

led, and he took his seat amongst them calmly, though t

reakfast. There were long intervals of silence; and what li

he made over himself, in order to face the world proudly. He had a few words to say to every one; and was particularly courteous to the guests

nd was leaving the room, whe

for a few moments al

library to write my letters. Y

ld closed the door, and turned to face his nep

amiss?"

at a time when you ought to know

t, abruptly. "I dare say you mean well, my dear Reginald; but t

my duty to bring you any information that reached me; but I defer to you entirely. The subj

he mystery of my wife's flight - speak out, and speak quickly. I am almost mad, Reginald. Forgive me, if I sp

e good reason to believe that Miss Graham could tell you much, if she chose to speak out.

sir Oswald, starting to his fe

eared - looking the very image of unconscious innocence - and qu

nsideration, she had been made to give a full account of the scene which she

this strange scene in the most accidental manner. She had ha

ife agitated, cli

igh was terri

ake her place in the gi

, Sir

rmured the baronet; "

aham. His eyes were fixed on vacancy, and it seemed as

that Sir Oswald questioned her no further, she crept quietly from the room, glad to escape from the so

as she left the library. "Perhaps now he will think that he

brary, seated before a table, with his arms folded,

dor windows, when the door was opened gently, and some one came into the room. Sir O

n the white robes she had worn at the picnic; b

hed hands, and the look of one who

nd looked at that pale face with

turess - actress - hypocrite - you dare to come to me with that

n condemn me unheard? I have done no wrong - not by so much as one thought that is not full of love for you! I

burst from the l

ou stand convicted of your treachery by the fullest evidence. You were seen to leave the Wizard's Cave! You were seen clinging to Victor Carrington - were seen to go with him, wi

, why am I here

enced by a mad and wicked passion, you fled with your lover last night; but no sooner did you remember the wealth you had lost, the position you had sacrificed, than you repented your folly. You determined to come back. Your doting husband would doubtless open his arms to receive you. A few i

you not listen

your lover, Victor Carrington. Your repentance comes too late. The Raynham heritage will never be your

wal

t he steeled himself against those imploring tones. He believed that h

hold from the vilest criminal, and which you shall not withhold from me, your lawfully wedded and faithful wife. You may dis

lt. Unhappily, the baronet believed in the evidence of Lydia Graham, rather than in the witness of his wife's truth. Why sho

r husband's face, in which she could read the indications of his every feeling. As her story drew to a close, her own counte

ove and your name to a friendless, nameless creature; and now that circumstances conspire to condemn me, can I wonder if you, too, condemn - if you refuse to believe my declaration of my innocence? I do not wonder. I am only grieved that it should be so. I should have been so proud of your love if it could have survived this fiery ordeal - so proud! But let that

r to convince Oswald Eversleigh of her truth; but his mind was too deeply imbued with a belief in her falseho

ttle she told me of the history of her childhood was as false as all the rest.

of the door, when some sudden

rom me, Lady Eversleigh," he said. "It will be my t

alked towards the hall, her head b

s he returned to the library. "Oh, what a tissue of falsehood she tried to palm upon

to fetch Mr. Eversleigh. His nephew appeared five min

s; and, so far as I can judge, you have undergone a reformation. It is not for me, therefore, to hold sternly to a determination which I had made in a moment of extreme anger: and I should perhaps have restored you to your old position ere this, had not a new interest absorbed my heart and mind. I have had cruel reason to repent my

you surely can

will which I made after my marriage. That will left the bulk of my fortune to my wife. That will must now be destroyed; and in the document which I shall

overpowers me. I cannot find w

d position is brought about by my misery. Say no more. Better that an Eversl

was, the iniquity of the scheme by which he had succeeded weighed horribly upon his mind, and he wa