e events that had been
transpiring at Oakley, she had narrated faithfully the scenes between
Cora and Percy, but she had withheld the name of the latter, a fact
which was not even noticed by Olive, who had not been especially
interested in this last actor upon the scene.

Now, when dinner was over, and they had grouped themselves about the
grate, its ruddy glow illuminating the twilight that was fast giving
place to evening shadows, Madeline retold the story of Percy's first
interview with Cora on his arrival, and his second, in the
summer-house, the overhearing of which had caused that long absence
from Miss Arthur's dressing-room, which necessitated her ingenious and
highly improbable explanation to the aggrieved spinster, with which
the reader is already acquainted.

During this recital the face of Olive Girard was a study. It changed
from curiosity to wonder; from wonder to a dawning hopefulness of
finding in all this a possible clue, that might help her husband to
his freedom. Then despair took the place of hope, as the clue seemed
to elude her grasp. At the end, astonishment and incredulity fairly
took away her breath. She sank back in her chair without uttering a
word.

Madeline waited for comments, but Claire was the first to speak.
During the recital she had been able to think, and to some purpose. As
the disjointed fragments were joined together by Madeline, Claire was
drawing shrewd and close inferences. Now she lifted her head and
asked:

"Madeline, have you formed any sort of a theory, as to how all this
might affect Olive and Philip?"

Madeline looked up in surprise at the question, and answered it by
asking another: "Have you?"

"Yes, but I think Olive would rather hear yours; and mine is, as yet,
but half formed."

Olive had regained a measure of her composure, and now she sat erect,
and said, eagerly:

"Madeline, I have been too much surprised and shocked to think
clearly. Think for me, child, and for mercy's sake, tell me at once
all that you suspect."

"I suspect much," replied the girl, gravely; "but what we want is
_proof_. First we want to find out who is the party who accompanied
Madame Cora, or Alice, as Percy called her, to Europe, for to Europe
she went. Did she know Lucian Davlin ten years ago? Did they go
together to Europe?"

"You want to know, first of all," said Claire, interrupting her, "when
the intimacy of those two did begin. The woman may not have known him
ten years a