Cavendish.

Mrs. Grey arose trembling and opened the door.

"I was afraid that you were not well. I came up to see," said Emma,
kindly, as she entered the room.

"I--no, I am not quite well," faltered Mary Grey, as she retreated to
the sofa and sat down, with her back purposely to the light and her face
in the shadow.

"You really look pale and ill. What is the matter, dear?"

"I--think I have taken cold. But by keeping to my room for a few days I
hope to be better. A cold always affects the action of my heart and
makes me very nervous," said Mary Grey, in explanation of the tremors
for which she could not otherwise account.

Then Emma expressed sympathy and sorrow, and begged the pretended
invalid to have some tea and cream-toast, or some wine-whey or
chicken-broth.

But Mary Grey declined all these offers, declaring that a cold always
took her appetite away.

And again Emma expressed regret.

And, as Miss Cavendish talked, Mary Grey grew more composed.

It was evident, she thought, that Emma as yet knew nothing of that
strange rencounter on the stairs.

Presently, Miss Cavendish said:

"I am sorry to tell you that we shall lose Laura Lytton for a few days.
Her uncle, Mr. Lytton of Lytton Lodge, has sent a messenger for her. She
goes to visit her relations there to-morrow morning."

"Indeed--a messenger?" exclaimed Mary Grey, pricking up her ears.

"Yes; a queer genius, who signalized his entrance into the house by a
scene," added Emma, smiling.

"Indeed!"

"Oh, yes! Why, you might have heard the commotion in the front hall! Did
you hear nothing of it?"

"No, dear; I have remained shut up in my room ever since breakfast--have
not stirred from it," answered Mary Grey, lying without the least
hesitation.

"That accounts for your knowing nothing about it. But the absurd fellow
raised quite a confusion by suddenly falling down in the front hall in a
spasm of terror, declaring that he had seen the spirit of his young
mistress on the middle landing of the front stairs."

"An optical illusion," answered Mary Grey, in a low, tremulous tone and
with her face carefully kept in the shadow.

"Of course! And it appears that he was once a servant of that reckless
and unlucky Frederick Fanning of White Perch Point, who married my
mother's sister. And consequently his young mistress must have been that
unfortunate cousin of mine," said Emma, with a sigh.

"Does any one know what ever became of that wretche