t) have been
simply stranded--thrown overboard--by his freak. You can understand how
serious it is when I tell you that it's that and nothing else that has
brought me all the way to America. And my first idea was to go straight
to your daughter-in-law, since her influence is the only thing we can
count on now, and put it to her fairly, as I'm putting it to you. But,
on the whole, I dare say it's better to see you first--you might give
me an idea of the line to take with her. I'm prepared to throw myself
on her mercy!"

Margaret rose from her chair, outwardly rigid in proportion to her
inward tremor.

"You don't understand--" she began.

Lady Caroline brushed the interruption aside. "Oh, but I
do--completely! I cast no reflection on your daughter-in-law. Guy has
made it quite clear to us that his attachment is--has, in short, not
been rewarded. But don't you see that that's the worst part of it?
There'd be much more hope of his recovering if Mrs. Robert Ransom
had--had--"

Margaret's voice broke from her in a cry. "I am Mrs. Robert Ransom,"
she said.

If Lady Caroline Duckett had hitherto given her hostess the impression
of a person not easily silenced, this fact added sensibly to the effect
produced by the intense stillness which now fell on her.

She sat quite motionless, her large bangled hands clasped about the
meagre fur boa she had unwound from her neck on entering, her rusty
black veil pushed up to the edge of a "fringe" of doubtful
authenticity, her thin lips parted on a gasp that seemed to sharpen
itself on the edges of her teeth. So overwhelming and helpless was her
silence that Margaret began to feel a motion of pity beneath her
indignation--a desire at least to facilitate the excuses which must
terminate their disastrous colloquy. But when Lady Caroline found voice
she did not use it to excuse herself.

"You _can't_ be," she said, quite simply.

"Can't be?" Margaret stammered, with a flushing cheek.

"I mean, it's some mistake. Are there _two_ Mrs. Robert Ransoms in the
same town? Your family arrangements are so extremely puzzling." She had
a farther rush of enlightenment. "Oh, I _see!_ I ought of course to
have asked for Mrs. Robert Ransom 'Junior'!"

The idea sent her to her feet with a haste which showed her impatience
to make up for lost time.

"There is no other Mrs. Robert Ransom at Wentworth," said Margaret.

"No other--no 'Junior'? Are you _sure?_" Lady Caroline fell back into
her sea