to a chair and surveyed him coolly, while she said:
"It is not necessary to apologize for your sister, Mr.--"

"Davlin," supplied Miss Arthur.

"Davlin," repeated Madeline, as if the name had fallen upon her ears
for the first time. "No doubt we shall be the best of friends by and
by. I certainly have to thank her for making so marked an improvement
in these old rooms," glancing about her.

Here the still confused Miss Arthur, in obedience to a sign from her
lover, said: "Miss Madeline, this is my friend, Mr. Percy."

Mr. Percy advanced, bowing like a courtier. The young lady scrutinized
him coolly, saying, with a gleam of mischief in her eyes: "I am
delighted to meet any friend of my aunt's."

Then she turned to Davlin again: "But where is my step-papa? I have
kept myself partially informed of events here. Is he still unable to
be about?"

Davlin looked very serious: "Miss Payne, I fear that my unhappy
brother-in-law will never recover his reason."

Madeline uttered an exclamation expressive of concern, and said: "Oh,
Mr. Davlin, then don't let him know that I am here; at least not yet.
I am so afraid of the insane. I couldn't bear to see him now."

Cora drew a breath of relief, on hearing this. But Lucian, who knew
the girl better, began to fear her, and mentally resolved to define
his own position as speedily as possible. One thing was evident; it
was no part of her plan to betray him, at least not yet.

"Nurse," said Madeline, turning to Hagar, "see that a room is prepared
for me immediately, and send a servant to the station for my luggage.
Also, prepare a room for my maid, who is below, and tell her to get me
out a dinner dress immediately."

Then turning to Cora, "Step-mamma, you look fatigued. Do go to your
room and rest before dinner. Mr. Davlin, at what hour do you dine?"

He explained their reason for dining so early, and she said, as she
turned again to Cora,

"Do lie down, step-mamma; there is still a half-hour before dinner.
And now I will go look after my maid."

She swept them all a stately courtesy, and Percy springing forward to
open the door, she thanked him with a charming side glance, and passed
from the room like a young princess.

There was dead silence among them for a full minute after the door had
closed behind her. Then Percy turned with a disagreeable smile upon
his face, and said:

"You don't stand in need of something exciting _now_, do you,--Mrs.
Arthur?"

This was too