eady that if Father Baldwin agrees with me that before I do
make a start on my mission to Midas, as my friend, Reed, called it the
other day, the best thing I could do would be to spend a day or two at
the Retreat, and go into the matter thoroughly with Father Philip."

While he was speaking, Ernshaw noticed that Dora turned deadly pale.
When dinner was over Sir Arthur announced that he was going round for an
hour to see Sir Godfrey Raleigh on a little Indian business. Dora felt
now that her opportunity had come. It was a terrible thing to do, and
yet, all things considered, present, and to come, she felt that it was
her plain duty to do it, and not to permit this ghastly deception to go
on any longer. Her soul revolted at the thought of Sir Arthur and Vane,
Carol's half-brother, going to the Abbey and being received as friends
by Sir Reginald Garthorne. Knowing what she did, it seemed to her too
hideous to be thought of, and so when Vane asked jestingly what they
were going to do to amuse themselves, she got up, looking very white,
and said, in a voice that had a note almost of terror in it:

"Mr. Maxwell, there is something I want to say to you; something that I
must say to you. I cannot say it to you and Mr. Ernshaw together; it is
bad enough to say it even to you, but when I have said it, you will be
able to talk it over and try what is best to be done. I want to tell it
to you first, because it concerns you most."

"By all means," said Vane, looking at her with wonder in his eyes, "come
into the library. Ernshaw, I know, will excuse us; put on a pipe, and
get yourself some whiskey and soda. Now, Miss Russell," he said, as he
opened the door for her, "I'm at your service."

They left the room, and Ernshaw lit his pipe and sat down to speculate
as to the cause of Dora's somewhat singular request, but fifteen minutes
had not passed before the door was thrown open, and she came in white to
the lips and shaking from head to foot, and said:

"Mr. Ernshaw, come, please, quick. Mr. Maxwell is ill, in a fit, I
think. I have had to tell him something very dreadful, and it has been
too much for him."

Ernshaw jumped up without a word and ran into the library. Vane was
lying in a low armchair and half on the floor, his body rigid, his hands
clenched, his eyes wide open and sightless, and a slight creamy froth
was streaked round his lips.

"A fit!" said Ernshaw. "You must have given him some terrible shock. Run
and fetch