Mrs. Robert Carter, leisurely preparing for her night's rest in the
adjoining apartment, looked up with a pleasant smile as the
communicating door opened, a word of loving greeting on her lips. But
there was little of answering affection in the glittering eyes and white
face of the girl who, with clenched hands and dilating nostrils,
advanced upon her. Something in the unnatural demeanor of Grace alarmed
her and she nervously dropped her hair brush and rose to her feet.

"Gracie! What is It?"

Very deliberately the girl thrust the printed sheet Into her mother's
hand and in a calm voice demanded:

"Tell me, what part did you have in this?"

In astonishment the elder woman ran her eye hurriedly over the item the
rigid finger was pointing out; her face hardened with anger and
annoyance.

"None whatever, my child," she said with an evident truthfulness that
carried with it instant conviction. "I am as much surprised and pained
as you are. Instead of sanctioning such an alliance it would have
received my firmest opposition. Lord Ellerslie scarcely approximates to
my ideals of a son-in-law. This is the work of some contemptible
penny-a-liner with a superfluity of space to fill; it is not worth
refuting, dear; women of our station are always exposed to these petty
annoyances and this may have been written with the very object of
inciting our space-filling denial. Don't be unduly exercised over such a
trifle." And then a bit reproachfully, "You really could not think me
accessory to such a contemptible thing as that, daughtie?"

At the endearing diminutive the hardness left the girl's face and her
lips trembled pitifully. Unable to speak she mutely held out Douglass's
letter and the mother, comprehending, took her shelteringly to her bosom
while she read it. At its conclusion she patted the silken hair
caressingly.

"Don't worry, dearie," she said reassuringly. "A cablegram will set this
matter right. It is unfortunate that he should have seen this particular
paper." She paused abruptly, a sudden suspicion intruding itself. But
she did not voice it, and bent to the consolation of the now weeping
girl.

"Oh! Mummy," she sobbed, "I love him so! I love him so! Let us go home
before my heart breaks!"

Mrs. Carter took up the letter again. "My mines are now in bonanza," she
read.

"We will take the next steamer," she said quietly. "And upon second
thought I think we had better not cable. Better make your denial in