broken. He was
about to leave the sombre chamber, when he was startled by a voice
saying in loud, firm tones:

"I call God to witness and hear me swear. By the hand of this corpse,
than which I hold nothing more sacred in this world, I, Reginald Morris,
solemnly swear vengeance upon her murderer. Henceforth I have but one
hope; henceforth I dedicate my fortune and my future to avenging Amy
Johnson's death. Amen!"

A deep echoing "Amen" broke from Oliver Whyte, and the two men joined
hands over the fair dead form each loved so much.

Two days later all that remained of Amy Johnson was carried to its last
resting-place.

The bright and sunshiny little domicile "The Mia-Mia," was now silent
and desolate, as if under a spell. Whyte and his wife had aged visibly
since their darling's death, while Reg had grown into a sad, silent man
with a stern, relentless expression of face. Even the pets seemed
subdued; the flowers seemed to droop; the sun to shine less brightly,
for the hope and the light of the house was dead.

One solemn duty had yet to be performed, when Whyte took Reg by the arm
and led him to the room of the dead girl. Here the gay pictures on the
walls, and the pretty draperies so daintily arranged seemed to mock
them. On the table lay her writing desk, one of his first presents to
her, and Reg, with a feeling of sacrilege, slowly opened it. On the top
lay a letter, which read as follows:

"Tuesday.

"Dearest Amy,

Come to the Park to-morrow as usual. I have procured a special
licence, and we can be married right away.

_Tout a toi_,
WYCK."

"Why this was written the evening before he sailed," cried Reg. "This is
a worse villainy than I dreamed of. Stay, here is another in her own
writing," and he read the following:

"Tuesday night,

"My dearest Reg, Mammy and Daddy,

"By the time this reaches you I shall be married to Wyck. Forgive
me. I cannot help myself, for he said I was to go, and I do love
him. Good-bye. Forgive, but do not forget,

"Your undutiful girl,
"AMY."

"At last," said Whyte. "Now we see what caused the shock."

"Yes, he had promised to marry her at the time he had arranged to leave
England for his trip. Why the Angora Club presented him with his badge,
set in diamonds, and, by Heaven, I will do the same. I'll brand the
scoundrel on both ears with the same distinguishing mark."

"It was all my fault, Reg