good to her father after our poor sister's death."

"Very, very good," said Miss Frances, and both sisters blinked their
eyes as Jimmy rose to say "good-bye." He was, however, not to make his
escape just yet. The Misses Dobson were obviously disturbed in mind.
They could not tolerate the idea of Bridget's whereabouts remaining
unknown, and all Jimmy's coolness and assurance were required to
restore them to anything resembling tranquillity.

He left the house with a feeling that the scent of lavender must be
still clinging to his clothes, and the next morning found him at
Crowborough. There, however, he could obtain no news of Bridget, and
now he began to wonder whether it was probable she had gone to Paris,
where she had lived with David Rosser during the last years of his
life. It was on Monday morning that Sybil saw Jimmy in the act of
parting from a stranger at the door.

"Who was your visitor?" she inquired, having waited in the dining-room
for the purpose.

"A man named Winchester--a private detective," said Jimmy.

"Oh, my dear!" exclaimed Sybil, "how sincerely I wish you would let
Miss Rosser go her own way!"

"Haven't I succeeded yet," demanded Jimmy, "in making you understand
that her way will always be mine?"

"And yet you know how horridly she treated poor Colonel Faversham,
Jimmy. You have always insisted on truth and honesty before
anything----"

"Now I only insist," said Jimmy, "that Bridget shall become my wife."

At this Sybil grew reckless.

"Jimmy," she cried, "it is really quite impossible."

"Why?" he demanded.

"My dear, I scarcely like to say the words, but she knew Mark Driver
long before she knew you."

"Well, I hope she will see a good deal of old Mark in the future also,"
answered Jimmy. "You force me to break my word," said Sybil, with
considerable emotion. "Carrissima will never forgive me. I am sure
she won't. But I really cannot keep silence while you go to
destruction. I really can't. I promised I would never breathe a
syllable----"

"Would you mind," urged Jimmy, "breathing it quickly!"

"There has been an--an understanding between Miss Rosser and Mark from
the very first," said Sybil.

"Oh, you mustn't talk foolishness," returned Jimmy.

"Carrissima saw them----"

"What in the world did she see?"

"She happened to go to Golfney Place unexpectedly the afternoon before
Miss Rosser left," Sybil explained. "She saw the girl in--in Mark's
arms. Jimmy, he