head.

"I know all," she answered.

Dead silence fell. White as a dead woman, Lady Kingsland stood, her
eyes ablaze with fierce, consuming fire. Sybilla made a step forward,
sunk down before her, and lifted her hand to her lips.

"He told me all, my dear lady; but your secret is safe with me.
Sybilla will be your true and faithful, though humble, friend, if you
will let her. Dear Lady Kingsland, don't look at me with that stony,
angry face. I have no wish but to serve you."

The gracious speech met with but an ungracious return. My lady
snatched her hand away, as though from a snake, and gazed at her with
flashing eyes of scorn and distrust.

"What are you to this man, Miss Silver?" she asked. "Why should he
tell you?"

"I am his plighted wife," replied Sybilla, trying to call up a
conscious blush.

"Ah, I see!" my lady said, scornfully. "Permit me to congratulate you
on the excellent execution your black eyes have wrought. You are a
very clever girl, Miss Silver, and I think I understand you thoroughly.
I am only surprised you did not carry your discovery straight to Sir
Everard Kingsland."

"Your ladyship is most unjust," Sybilla said, turning away, "unkind and
cruel. I have delivered my message, and I will go."

"Wait one moment," my lady said, in her clear sweet voice, her proud
face gleaming with a cynical smile. "Tomorrow evening it will be
impossible for me to see Mr. Parmalee--there is to be a dinner-party at
the house--during the day still more impossible. Since he commands me
to see him, I will do so to-night, and throw over my other engagements.
At eight this evening I will be in the Beech Walk, and alone. Let Mr.
Parmalee come to me there."

A gleam of diabolical triumph lighted up the great black eyes of
Sybilla, but the profound bow she made concealed it.

"I will tell him, my lady," she said, "and he will be there without
fail."

She quitted the room, closed the door, and looked back at it as Satan
may have looked back at Eden after vanquishing Eve.

"My triumph begins," she said to herself. "I have caught you nicely
this time, my lady. You and Mr. Parmalee will not be alone in the
Beech Walk to-night."

Left to herself, Harriet stood for a moment motionless.

"She, too," she murmured, "my arch-enemy! Oh, my God, help me to bear
it--help me to keep the horrible truth from the husband I love! She
will not tell him. She knows he would never endure her from the hour
she