umber--believe that the recovery of her mind has not accompanied
the recovery of her body."

"In other words," Lady Janet remarked, "a madwoman is in my house, and I
am expected to receive her!"

"Don't let us exaggerate," said Julian, gently. "It can serve no good
interest, in this serious matter, to exaggerate anything. The consul
assures us, on the authority of the doctor, that she is perfectly gentle
and harmless. If she is really the victim of a mental delusion, the poor
creature is surely an object of compassion, and she ought to be placed
under proper care. Ask your own kind heart, my dear aunt, if it would
not be downright cruelty to turn this forlorn woman adrift in the world
without making some inquiry first."

Lady Janet's inbred sense of justice admitted not over willingly--the
reasonableness as well as the humanity of the view expressed in those
words. "There is some truth in that, Julian," she said, shifting her
position uneasily in her chair, and looking at Horace. "Don't you think
so, too?" she added.

"I can't say I do," answered Horace, in the positive tone of a man whose
obstinacy is proof against every form of appeal that can be addressed to
him.

The patience of Julian was firm enough to be a match for the obstinacy
of Horace. "At any rate," he resumed, with undiminished good temper, "we
are all three equally interested in setting this matter at rest. I put
it to you, Lady Janet, if we are not favored, at this lucky moment, with
the very opportunity that we want? Miss Roseberry is not only out of the
room, but out of the house. If we let this chance slip, who can say what
awkward accident may not happen in the course of the next few days?"

"Let the woman come in," cried Lady Janet, deciding headlong, with her
customary impatience of all delay. "At once, Julian--before Grace can
come back. Will you ring the bell this time?"

This time Julian rang it. "May I give the man his orders?" he
respectfully inquired of his aunt.

"Give him anything you like, and have done with it!" retorted the
irritable old lady, getting briskly on her feet, and taking a turn in
the room to compose herself.

The servant withdrew, with orders to show the visitor in.

Horace crossed the room at the same time--apparently with the intention
of leaving it by the door at the opposite end.

"You are not going away?" exclaimed Lady Janet.

"I see no use in my remaining here," replied Horace, not very
graciously.

"