when their own name was so hopelessly
disgraced that they did not dare to own it or be known by it, and were
forced to hide their guilty heads in that low mining district. No, sir; my
Lord of Heath, your shameless bride shall never enter this sacred
ancestral house if there are any means, lawful or otherwise to prevent
it."

After the examination of the portfolio which she had found in her
brother's trunk, Lady Linton's curiosity had been insatiable, and
simulating an air of friendliness and resignation which she was far from
feeling, she had encouraged him to talk of his wife, hoping thus to learn
more of her history, and trap him into acknowledging something of the
mystery which surrounded her.

But though Sir William was never loth to talk of his darling, and always
spoke of her in the fondest terms, he would never commit himself regarding
her past; that was to be a sealed book in England, and not even to his
mother and sister would he ever breathe one word of that sad story, that
Mr. Abbot had told him when he pleaded for his daughter's hand, or aught
that would cast a shadow upon any member of her family.

"She was the daughter of a once wealthy Californian whom reverses had
impoverished," he invariably told them. "She was finely educated and
fitted, both by nature and culture, to shine in any circle."

"By whom were you married, William?" his mother asked, having at last
deigned to show some interest in the circumstance.

"By the Rev. Dr. Thornton, an Episcopalian clergyman

"Of San Francisco?"

"No, of Virginia City;" and Sir William smiled that she was not familiar
enough with the geographical location of the place to know that it was not
in California at all.

"Oh, then you were not married in San Francisco?" interrupted Lady Linton,
looking up eagerly, and hoping now to get something definite regarding
that outlandish place in Nevada.

"No," he replied, not thinking it necessary to enter into particulars, and
leaving them to infer what they chose.

Her ladyship was baffled again, not daring to press him further lest he
should suspect that she had been tampering with his papers.

But she tried to console herself with the thought that she would soon know
all there was to be known; then what use she might make of her knowledge
remained to be seen.

Lady Heath was improving, but still far from being out of danger, and
could not endure the least confusion.

Sir William was very restless, and anxious