cely. "You? I thought you wanted revenge."

"And so I do,--and will have it."

"How, then?"

"Will you go to Madame Arthur?"

"What for?"

"Ah, now you reason. I will tell you."

Hurriedly she unfolded her plan; and after some differences of
opinion, dame Hagar agreed to play her part in the coming drama.
Having finally arranged Hagar's _role_ to their mutual satisfaction,
Celine hurriedly recounted her day's adventures, saying, by way of
_finale_:

"So now you see, nursie, I must hasten and send madame's message on
its way. I shall depend upon you to tell me if Mr. Davlin comes to
Bellair to-morrow, for I have a fancy that madame will manage, in some
way, to prevent his coming to the house, as it was fully settled that
he was not to appear at Oakley until summoned to his sister's
sick-bed."

"I can easily learn if he appears at the Bellair station."

"Exactly; that is all I wish to know. Now I must go and waylay Mr.
Percy. So good night, auntie, and cheer up; our time is coming fast."

"And trouble coming, too; God help us."

The girl turned upon her swiftly, with flashing eyes. "Are you afraid?
Do you want to give it up?"

"I am afraid for you. But give up now; never!"

"Brave old nursie!"

The girl flung both arms about the old woman, and kissed her withered
cheeks.

"Never fear for me; my star is rising. Don't forget your mission,
auntie; good-night."

The "good-night" came back over her shoulder, as the girl was hurrying
down the cottage steps, and Hagar closed the door behind her
retreating figure.

CHAPTER XVI.

FACE TO FACE.

It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting
spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his
soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a
fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.

Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a
very ugly woman. But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a
late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair
enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought. As the door of Oakley
manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of
gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.

When the first group of trees had sheltered him from the view of the
infatuated spinster, should she still be gazing after him, Mr. Percy
paused, and standing in the shadow, produced a cigar and was
proceeding to light it, w