future time they might
possibly be inconveniently recognized.

As yet no one had seen her face except by night or in her darkened room.
And she did not intend that they should.

Her supposed grievous bereavement was her all-sufficient excuse for her
seclusion.

At the end of the week Mary Grey paid her bill at the Star, and,
closely-veiled, left the hotel and took the evening train for
Washington, _en route_ for Richmond.

In due time she reached the last-named city and took up her residence at
her old quarters with the Misses Crane, there to wait patiently until
the marriage of Alden Lytton and Emma Cavendish should give her the
opportunity of consummating their ruin and her own triumph. Meanwhile
poor Craven Kyte's leave of absence having expired, he began to be
missed and inquired for.

But to all questions his partner answered that he did not know where he
was or when he would be back, but thought he was all right.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

GREAT PROSPERITY.

Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us anything.
--SHAKESPEARE.

Alden Lytton prospered wonderfully. Not once in a thousand instances can
a young professional man get on as fast as he did.

Usually the young lawyer or doctor has to wait long before work comes to
him, and then to work long before money comes.

It was not so with Alden Lytton.

As soon as he opened his office business came in at the door.

His first brief was a success.

His second, and more difficult one, was a still greater victory.

His third, and most important, was the greatest triumph of the three.

And from this time the high road to fame and fortune was open to him.

The astonishing rapidity of his rise was explained in various ways by
different persons.

Emma Cavendish, who loved and esteemed him, ascribed his great
prosperity to his own splendid talents alone.

Alden Lytton himself, full of filial respect, attributed it to the
prestige of his late father's distinguished name.

And the briefless young lawyers, his unsuccessful rivals at the bar,
credited it to the "loud" advertisement afforded by his handsome office
and the general appearance of wealth and prosperity that surrounded him.

No doubt they were all right and--all wrong.

Not one of these circumstances taken alone could have secured the young
barrister's success. Neither his own talents nor his father's name, nor
the costly appoin