grounds.

He had barely crossed the threshold before the library door was
thrown open next by the servant posted in the room. The man drew back
respectfully, and gave admission to Lady Janet Roy. She was followed by
Horace Holmcroft with his mother's wedding present to Mercy in his hand.

CHAPTER XX. THE POLICEMAN IN PLAIN CLOTHES.

JULIAN looked round the room, and stopped at the door which he had just
opened.

His eyes rested first on Mercy, next on Grace.

The disturbed faces of both the women told him but too plainly that
the disaster which he had dreaded had actually happened. They had met
without any third person to interfere between them. To what extremities
the hostile interview might have led it was impossible for him to guess.
In his aunt's presence he could only wait his opportunity of speaking to
Mercy, and be ready to interpose if anything was ignorantly done which
might give just cause of offense to Grace.

Lady Janet's course of action on entering the dining-room was in perfect
harmony with Lady Janet's character.

Instantly discovering the intruder, she looked sharply at Mercy. "What
did I tell you?" she asked. "Are you frightened? No! not in the least
frightened! Wonderful!" She turned to the servant. "Wait in the library;
I may want you again." She looked at Julian. "Leave it all to me; I can
manage it." She made a sign to Horace. "Stay where you are, and hold
your tongue." Having now said all that was necessary to every one else,
she advanced to the part of the room in which Grace was standing, with
lowering brows and firmly shut lips, defiant of everybody.

"I have no desire to offend you, or to act harshly toward you," her
ladyship began, very quietly. "I only suggest that your visits to my
house cannot possibly lead to any satisfactory result. I hope you
will not oblige me to say any harder words than these--I hope you will
understand that I wish you to withdraw."

The order of dismissal could hardly have been issued with more humane
consideration for the supposed mental infirmity of the person to whom
it was addressed. Grace instantly resisted it in the plainest possible
terms.

"In justice to my father's memory and in justice to myself,"
she answered, "I insist on a hearing. I refuse to withdraw." She
deliberately took a chair and seated herself in the presence of the
mistress of the house.

Lady Janet waited a moment--steadily controlling her temper. In the
interval of silence