he doctors have said."

Mrs. Ogilvie first turned white, and then her face grew red and angry.

"I don't believe a single word of what they say," she retorted with
some passion. "The child looks better every day. What the dear little
thing wants is rousing. The bazaar will do her no end of good. Mark my
words, Miss Winstead, we shall have Sibyl on her feet again by the
24th."

"You forget," said Miss Winstead slowly, "the _Sahara_ is due in
England about that date. Mr. Ogilvie will be back. He will not be
prepared for--for what he has to see."

"I know quite well that my husband will return about then, but I don't
understand what you mean by saying that he will not be prepared.
There will be nothing but joyful tidings to give him. The child nearly
herself and the bazaar at its height. Delightful! Now pray, my good
creature, don't croak any more; I must rush up to town this
afternoon--there is a great deal to see about."

CHAPTER XVII.

Lord Grayleigh was so anxious about the Syndicate that he would not go
to Scotland for the shooting as usual. Later on he would attend to his
pleasures, but not now. Later on when Ogilvie had returned, and the
company was finally floated, and the shares taken up, he would relax
his efforts, but just at present he was engaged over the biggest thing
of his life. He was cheerful, however, and full of hope. He even
thanked Providence for having aided all his exertions. So blinded was
he by the glare of avarice and the desire for adding wealth to wealth
that Ogilvie's cablegram set every anxiety at rest. He even believed
that the mine was as full of gold as the cablegram seemed to indicate.
Yes, everything was going well. The Lombard Deeps Company would be
floated in a short time, the Board of Directors was complete.

Ogilvie's cablegram was shown to a few of the longest-headed men in
the financial world, and his report was anxiously looked for. Rumors
carefully worded got by degrees into the public press, the ominous
whispers were absolutely silenced: all, in short, was ripe for action.
Nothing definite, however, could be done until the full report of the
mine arrived.

Lord Grayleigh was fond of saying to himself: "From the tone of
Ogilvie's cablegram the mine must be all that we desire, the ore rich,
the veins good, the extent of the wealth unlimited. It will be nice,"
Lord Grayleigh reflected, "to be rich and also honest at the same
time." He was a man with many kindly im