o take them to St. Sampson's.
I don't look for them back before evening. Miss Dobree said I was to
come, with her love, and ask how Mrs. Dobree is to-day, and if she's
home in time she'll come this evening; but if she's late she'll come
to-morrow morning."

"When did they make up their minds to go to Sark?" I inquired,
anxiously.

"Only late last night, sir," she answered. "Cook had settled with Miss
Dobree to dine early to-day; but then Captain Carey came in, and after
he was gone she said breakfast must be ready at seven this morning in
their own rooms while they were dressing; so they must have settled it
with Captain Carey last night."

I turned away very much surprised and bewildered, and in an irritable
state which made the least thing jar upon me. Curiosity, which had slept
yesterday, or was numbed by the shock of my disappointment, was
feverishly awake to-day. How little I knew, after all, of the mystery
which surrounded Olivia! The bitter core of it I knew, but nothing of
the many sheaths and envelops which wrapped it about. There might be
some hope, some consolation to be found wrapped up with it. I must go
again to Sark in the steamer on Monday, and hear Olivia tell me all she
could tell of her history.

Then, why were Julia and Kate Daltrey gone to Sark? What could they have
to do with Olivia? It made me almost wild with anger to think of them
finding Olivia, and talking to her perhaps of me and my
love--questioning her, arguing with her, tormenting her! The bare
thought of those two badgering my Olivia was enough to drive me frantic.

In the cool twilight, Julia and Kate Daltrey were announced. I was about
to withdraw from my mother's room, in conformity with the etiquette
established among us, when Julia recalled me in a gentler voice than she
had used toward me since the day of my fatal confession.

"Stay, Martin," she said; "what we have to tell concerns you more than
any one."

I sat down again by my mother's sofa, and she took my hand between both
her own, fondling it in the dusk.

"It is about Olivia," I said, in as cool a tone as I could command.

"Yes," answered Julia; "we have seen her, and we have found out why she
has refused you. She is married already."

"She told me so yesterday," I replied.

"Told you so yesterday!" repeated Julia, in an accent of chagrin. "If we
had only known that, we might have saved ourselves the passage across to
Sark."

"My dear Julia," exclaimed my moth