s noticed--Gurdon appeared, to
look full in his master's face as he handed the tray he bore.

"Tea, sir?" he said.

"Stand back!" exclaimed Sir Murray, fiercely, and with his raised hand
he struck the man heavily across the chest, causing him to stagger back,
and the tray fell with a crash upon the floor.

"You shall pay for this!" muttered the man, rising, but only to drop on
one knee, napkin in hand, the next moment, and commence gathering up the
fragments.

"Leave this place, sir, this instant!" exclaimed Sir Murray, fiercely;
and muttering still, but with a supercilious leer at all present, Gurdon
slouched off, passing between the assembled guests, who, alarmed by the
crash and loud, angry words, were now inquiring the cause.

"Nothing--nothing wrong," exclaimed Sir Murray, with a ghastly show of
being at ease. "A drunken servant, that is all. Lady Gernon, let me
take you into the drawing-room."

Glances were exchanged; but the sullen countenance of Gurdon, the
spilled tea, and the broken cups and saucers, afforded sufficient
explanation, and the visitors slowly filtered back into the different
rooms, in one of which another accident had taken place.

As Sir Murray, trembling with suppressed anger, entered the inner
drawing-room, known as the blue-room, he saw Gurdon, napkin and tray in
hand, standing as if waiting his coming, his face breaking into a
mocking smile upon his master's entrance, closely followed by Captain
Norton, who, so far, had not spoken a word.

"Go to your mother, Marion," said Sir Murray. "I must have a few more
words with this man."

"With whom?" exclaimed Lady Gernon. "With my servant, madam," said Sir
Murray, loudly. "Not with Captain Norton now. But where is your
cross?"

"My cross!" stammered Lady Gernon; and her hand involuntarily sought the
place where it had hung. "I had it when I--when--"

"Yes, when you entered the conservatory," said Sir Murray, a suspicion
crossing his breast; "but where is it now?"

"I do not know!" exclaimed Lady Gernon, whose agitation became extreme.

The rumour of the failing mines; Captain Norton's poverty; his own
jealousy; thought after thought flashed across Sir Murray Gernon's brain
in an instant of time.

"Go to your guests," he said sternly. "There are people coming this
way, and I wish to avoid a scene. James," he said, beckoning to a
footman, "see that man, Gurdon, into the little garden-room, lock him
up, and then fetch a con