is, he is sleeping more heavily than ever. Miss Margaret did not leave
his side all night, Andrew tells me, and she says the nearest doctor
must be sent for. I thought it would look better if you were at his
bedside, too, when the doctor came."

"You did quite right to awaken me, Antoinette," replied young Mrs.
Gardiner. "Get me my morning robe, and slippers to match, at once, and
take my hair out of these curl-papers. One can not appear before one's
husband's relatives without making a careful toilet and looking one's
best, for their Argus eyes are sure to take in any defects. I hope my
husband will not have a long sickness or anything like that. I can not
endure a sick-room. I think I should go mad. Hurry, Antoinette! Arrange
my toilet as quickly as possible. I shall go into the grounds for a
breath of fresh air before I venture into the heated atmosphere of that
room, in which no doubt the lamps are still burning."

"I would advise you _not_ to go into the grounds, my lady," replied
Antoinette, quietly.

"Why, I should like to know?" asked young Mrs. Gardiner, very sharply.

"I have a reason for what I say," returned Antoinette; "but it is best
not to tell you--just now."

"I demand to know!" declared her mistress.

"If you _must_ know, I suppose I may as well tell you now as at any
other time, my lady," replied Antoinette; "though the news I have to
tell may make you a trifle nervous, I fear. I was just out in the
grounds gathering roses for your vase, when, to my astonishment, I heard
my name called softly, but very distinctly, from the direction of a
little brook which runs through the grounds scarcely more than a hundred
feet from the hedge where the roses grew that I was gathering. I turned
quickly in that direction. At first I saw no one, and I was about to
turn away, believing my ears must have deceived me, when suddenly the
tall alder-bushes parted, and a man stepped forth, beckoning to me, and
that man, my lady, was--Mr. Victor Lamont!"

CHAPTER XLIX.

Sally Gardiner grew deathly pale as Antoinette's words fell upon her
ear. Had she heard aright, or were her ears playing her a horrible
trick?

"Mr. Victor Lamont is in the grounds, my lady, hiding among the thick
alder-bushes down by the brook, and he vows he will stay there, be it
day, week, month, or year, until he gets an opportunity to see and speak
with you."

"You must manage to see him at once, Antoinette, and give him a message