t of cases to which the law has been summoned, which
law has sifted, on which law has pronounced. But how, when the law is
silent, can we assume its verdicts? How be all judges where there has
been no witness-box, no cross-examination, no jury? Yet, every day we
put on our ermine, and make ourselves judges,--judges sure to condemn,
and on what evidence? That which no court of law will receive. Somebody
has said something to somebody, which somebody repeats to everybody!

The gossip of L---- had set in full current against Lilian's fair
name. No ladies had called or sent to congratulate Mrs. Ashleigh on her
return, or to inquire after Lilian herself during her struggle between
life and death.

How I missed the Queen of the Hill at this critical moment! How I longed
for aid to crush the slander, with which I knew not how to grapple,--aid
in her knowledge of the world and her ascendancy over its judgments! I
had heard from her once since her absence, briefly but kindly expressing
her amazement at the ineffable stupidity which could for a moment have
subjected me to a suspicion of Sir Philip Derval's strange murder, and
congratulating me heartily on my complete vindication from so monstrous
a charge. To this letter no address was given. I supposed the omission
to be accidental, but on calling at her house to inquire her direction,
I found that the servants did not know it.

What, then, was my joy when just at this juncture I received a note from
Mrs. Poyntz, stating that she had returned the night before, and would
be glad to see me.

I hastened to her house. "Ah," thought I, as I sprang lightly up the
ascent to the Hill, "how the tattlers will be silenced by a word from
her imperial lips!" And only just as I approached her door did it strike
me how difficult--nay, how impossible--to explain to her--the hard
positive woman, her who had, less ostensibly but more ruthlessly than
myself, destroyed Dr. Lloyd for his belief in the comparatively rational
pretensions of clairvoyance--all the mystical excuses for Lilian's
flight from her home? How speak to her--or, indeed, to any one--about
an occult fascination and a magic wand? No matter: surely it would be
enough to say that at the time Lilian had been light-headed, under the
influence of the fever which had afterwards nearly proved fatal, The
early friend of Anne Ashleigh would not be a severe critic on any tale
that might right the good name of Anne Ashleigh's daughter. So