ington went on. "It was the person
whom you have elected to call the grey lady. It was a great shock to me
to recognize that handwriting. The secret is not wholly mine to tell,
but for a long time I have been seeking the grey lady. I had not the
remotest idea that she and Sir Charles had anything in common; little
did I dream that she was here in this hotel last night. But whatever may
be the meaning of this mystery, if there has been foul play here, the
grey lady is quite innocent of it. Don't ask me to say any more, because
I cannot, I dare not."

Beatrice nodded in sympathy. The brave, grave soldier by her side was
terribly agitated; indeed Beatrice could not have recognized him as
being capable of such a display of emotion.

"I am going to believe in you both," she said. "Probably the grey lady
was the last person to see my father alive. She may have told him some
terrible news; she may have given him the shock that killed him. But
there was another who knew----"

"What do you mean by that?" Berrington asked.

"Nothing. I have said too much. That is quite between myself and--and
could possibly have had nothing to do with my father's death. Oh, if
only Mark had arrived five minutes sooner!"

Berrington knew exactly what was passing through Beatrice's mind.

"A great pity, indeed," he said quietly. "What a difference moments make
in our lives. Still----"

"Still there is always the doubt," Beatrice whispered eagerly. A
constant throng of people passed through the great hall where the death
of Sir Charles was already forgotten. "I am living on the doubt, Colonel
Berrington; am I or am I not married to Stephen Richford?"

"I could not say," Berrington replied. "I have very little knowledge of
these matters. As far as I could see, the marriage ceremony was
completed, the ring was placed on your finger, therefore----"

"Therefore you think that I am married," Beatrice said. She was twisting
the gold badge of servitude on her finger nervously. "I am going to find
out for certain. The service was not quite finished; there was no
exhortation, there was no signing of the register. Surely I am free if
it is my desire to be free. After what I found to-day----"

Again Beatrice paused as if aware of the fact that she was saying too
much. There was a certain expression of relief on her face as she saw
the figure of Mark approaching.

"Well, have you done anything?" she asked eagerly. "Have you made any
great discovery