ugh to give a man the megrims. I must face it, too, for to-day I
'meet the captains at the citadel'--that is to say, I promised to ride
over to Major Warden's about noon. You will be ready, Harrie, when I
return to accompany me to The Grange?"

She promised, and he departed; and then Lady Kingsland ascended to her
own apartment.

While she stood there, gazing at the gray desolation of the February
morning, there was a soft tap at the door.

"Come in!" she said, thinking it her maid; and the door opened, and
Sybilla Silver entered.

Lady Kingsland faced round and looked at her. How handsome she was!
That was her first involuntary thought. Her sweeping black robes fell
around her tall, regal figure with queenly grace, the black eyes
sparkled with living light, a more vivid scarlet than usual lighted up
each dusky cheek. She looked gloriously beautiful standing there. Mr.
Parmalee would surely have been dazzled had he seen her.

There was a moment's pause. The two women eyed each other as
accomplished swordsmen may on the eve of a duel. Very pale, very
proud, looked my lady. She disliked and distrusted this brilliant,
black-eyed Miss Silver, and Miss Silver knew it well.

"You wish to speak with me, Miss Silver?" my lady said, in her most
superb manner.

"Yes, my lady--most particularly, and quite alone. I beg your pardon,
but your maid is not within hearing, I trust?"

"We are quite alone," very coldly. "Speak out; no one can overhear
you."

"I do not care for myself," Sybilla said, her glittering black eyes
meeting the proud gray ones. "It is for your sake, my lady."

"For my sake!" in haughty amaze. "You can have nothing to say to me,
Miss Silver, the whole world may not overhear. If you intend to be
impertinent, I shall order you out of the room."

"One moment, my lady; you go too fast. The whole world may not
overhear the message Mr. Parmalee sends you by me."

"Ah!" my lady recoiled as though an adder had stung her--"always that
man! Speak out, then"--turning swiftly upon her husband's
protegee--"what is the message this man sends me by you?"

"That if you do not meet him within two days, he will sell your secret
to the highest bidder."

Sybilla delivered, word for word, the words of the American--cruelly,
slowly, significantly--looking her still straight in the eyes. Those
clear gray eyes flashed with a fierce, defiant light.

"You know all?" she cried.

Sybilla Silver bowed her