e to
the society of the Princess. Almost as soon as he set foot in his home
he was informed of the news by Trim.

"Mr. Franklin is dead," said Trim, with startling abruptness.

"Dead!" echoed Ware astonished. "Was his broken leg the cause?"

"No," replied the old man; "but yesterday he received a telegram, and
afterwards took a dose of poison. His daughter is coming here to see
you, sir. She heard you were to be here to-day."

Giles wondered why Portia should come to see him, and also why Denham
should have committed suicide after receiving a telegram. Trim could not
tell him what the telegram was about, so Giles had to wait until the
girl chose to call and enlighten him. Perhaps she had a message for him
from the dead man concerning Anne. Meanwhile Trim went on to state that
Mrs. Morley was leaving Rickwell.

"She has sold all her furniture and has let The Elms," said Trim. "I saw
Morris yesterday, and he tells me she is stopping at 'The Merry Dancer'
with her children."

"Does she know of her husband's death?" asked Giles.

"Death, sir. Is Mr. Morley dead?"

"I forgot. You do not know. Yes, Trim. He went down in his yacht, _The
Dark Horse_, in the Bay of Biscay."

"Poor woman!" said Trim, looking shocked; "she was so fond of him."

Ware had his own opinion on this point, so made no remark. He turned
over the correspondence that had accumulated during his absence, and
found a letter from Mrs. Morley written a day or so previous. She said
therein that she wished to see him particularly, and that she would
call as soon as he returned. She had something most particular to tell
him. The word "particular" was underlined. Giles wondered if she
intended to tell him some of Morley's rascalities. But then he
remembered that, according to Dane, she knew nothing of the double life
which her husband had led. Anxious to hear what she had to say, he
despatched a note by Trim asking her to come to his house, and offering
to go to the inn, should she prefer their conversation to take place
there. When Trim departed, Giles proceeded to despatch such business
connected with his estates as was necessary.

Hardly had he been an hour engaged in this way when Portia called to see
him. She had discarded her rainbow-colored garb, and was clothed in
funereal black. When she entered Giles' study he saw that her eyes were
red, and her face swollen with weeping. He felt extremely sorry for the
poor girl, and privately determined to l