e handsome heir to the Marsh millions
had proposed.

And underneath her calm exterior Mrs. Fairfax's heart beat high with
exultation. Her quick ear had also caught that rapidly whispered last
remark to Claire, and, realizing that her daughter was too much
flustered to act upon it, gave the young man the opportunity to be alone
with her which he seemed to desire by remarking:

"Dear me, I have left my fan in my boudoir, Claire, dear, would you mind
ringing for my maid to fetch it to me?"

"I will go for it, mamma," returned Claire, shyly, without daring to
look at her lover.

"As you like, my dear," returned Mrs. Fairfax, with very natural
appearing carelessness.

Claire was gone quite half an hour in search of the fan. When she
returned to the drawing-room her mother met her with open arms.

"Mr. Armstrong has told me all, my darling," she murmured, "and I give
my consent. You may marry him if you love him, daughter, and quite as
soon as he wishes."

Kendale left the mansion two hours later with a self-satisfied smile on
his lips.

"Marrying heiresses is much easier than most men suppose," he
muttered--and he stopped short in the grounds, standing under a tree
until the lights went out one by one, shrouding the house in gloom.

Meanwhile, girl like, Claire had flown to Faynie's apartment to tell
her the wonderful news--that her handsome lover had really proposed and
her mother had given her consent, and she was to be married at once.

Faynie's swoon had put a stop to confiding to her all the wonderful
things Lester had said. "I will tell her in the morning," she promised
herself, little dreaming what was to transpire ere the morrow dawned.

CHAPTER XXIV.

AN AWFUL APPARITION.

When Faynie awoke to consciousness she found the housekeeper bending
over her. Hours had passed and Claire had long since retired to her
room.

Faynie opened her eyes slowly, in a half-dazed manner, but as she did so
memory returned to her with startling force; but she bravely restrained
the cry that rose to her lips.

Claire had called her lover "Lester!" She wondered that the sound of
that name had: not stricken her head.

Could Claire's lover be--Ah! she dared not even imagine such a horrible
possibility. Then she laughed aloud, thinking how foolish she had been
to be so needlessly alarmed.

The false lover who had wooed and won her so cruelly was not the only
man in the world who bore the fateful name of Lester.