him, there was the hope of winning her yet!

He turned to the servant, reckless of what his face might betray.

"Where is Lady Janet?"

"In the dining-room, sir."

He reflected for a moment. His own influence had failed. Through what
other influence could he now hope to reach her? As the question crossed
his mind the light broke on him. He saw the way back to her--through the
influence of Lady Janet.

"Her ladyship is waiting, sir."

Julian entered the dining-room.

EPILOGUE:

CONTAINING SELECTIONS FROM THE CORRESPONDENCE OF MISS GRACE ROSEBERRY
AND MR. HORACE HOLMCROFT; TO WHICH ARE ADDED EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF
THE REVEREND JULIAN GRAY.

I.

From MR. HORACE HOLMCROFT to MISS GRACE ROSEBERRY.

"I HASTEN to thank you, dear Miss Roseberry, for your last kind letter,
received by yesterday's mail from Canada. Believe me, I appreciate your
generous readiness to pardon and forget what I so rudely said to you at
a time when the arts of an adventuress had blinded me to the truth. In
the grace which has forgiven me I recognize the inbred sense of justice
of a true lady. Birth and breeding can never fail to assert themselves:
I believe in them, thank God, more firmly than ever.

"You ask me to keep you informed of the progress of Julian Gray's
infatuation, and of the course of conduct pursued toward him by Mercy
Merrick.

"If you had not favored me by explaining your object, I might have felt
some surprise at receiving from a lady in your position such a request
as this. But the motives by which you describe yourself as being
actuated are beyond dispute. The existence of Society, as you truly
say, is threatened by the present lamentable prevalence of Liberal
ideas throughout the length and breadth of the land. We can only hope
to protect ourselves against impostors interested in gaining a position
among persons of our rank by becoming in some sort (unpleasant as it may
be) familiar with the arts by which imposture too frequently succeeds.
If we wish to know to what daring lengths cunning can go, to what
pitiable self-delusion credulity can consent, we must watch the
proceedings--even while we shrink from them--of a Mercy Merrick and a
Julian Gray.

"In taking up my narrative again where my last letter left off, I must
venture to set you right on one point.

"Certain expressions which have escaped your pen suggest to me that you
blame Julian Gray as the cause of Lady Janet's regrettable visit to the