who is my uncle's heiress,
Miss Evelyn Cameron. My reason for thus troubling you is obvious. As
Miss Cameron's guardian, I have very shortly to wind up certain affairs
connected with my uncle's will; and, what is more, there is some
property bequeathed by the late Mr. Butler, which may make it necessary
to prove identity.

Truly yours,

VARGRAVE.

The answer to the latter communication ran thus:--

"MY LORD,--I am very sorry to hear your lordship is so unwell, and will
pay my respects to-morrow. I certainly can swear that the present Lady
Vargrave was the Mrs. Butler who resided at C-----, and taught music.
And as the child with her was of the same sex, and about the same age
as Miss Cameron, there can, I should think, be no difficulty in
establishing the identity between that young lady and the child Lady
Vargrave had by her first husband, Mr. Butler; but of this, of course, I
cannot speak.

"I have the honour, etc."

The next morning Vargrave despatched a note to Mr. Winsley, saying that
his health required him to return to town immediately,--and to town, in
fact, he hastened. The day after his arrival, he received, in a hurried
hand--strangely blurred and blotted, perhaps by tears--this short
letter:--

For Heaven's sake, tell me what you mean! Yes, yes, I did once reside at
Dale Cottage, I did know one of the name of Butler! Has _he_ discovered
the name _I_ bear? Where is he? I implore you to write, or let me see
you before you leave England!

ALICE VARGRAVE.

Lumley smiled triumphantly when he read and carefully put up this
letter.

"I must now amuse and put her off--at all events for the present."

In answer to Lady Vargrave's letter, he wrote a few lines to say that
he had only heard through a third person (a lawyer) of a Mr. Butler
residing somewhere abroad, who had wished these inquiries to be made;
that he believed it only related to some disposition of property; that,
_perhaps_, the Mr. Butler who made the inquiry was heir to the Mr.
Butler she had known; that he could learn nothing else at present, as
the purport of her reply must be sent abroad,--the lawyer would or could
say nothing more; that directly he received a further communication it
should be despatched to her, that he was most affectionately and most
truly hers.

The rest of that morning Vargrave devoted to Lord Saxingham and his
allies; and declaring, and believing, that he should not be l