about Russia," said Alicia with an innocent air. "Do you
suppose heather grows there?"

The Countess remembered the floral symptoms displayed by Ophelia, and
grew a trifle nervous.

"My child, what is the matter?"

"Oh, nothing," replied Alicia hastily.

A short silence followed, during which she was conscious of undergoing a
curious scrutiny.

"By the way, mamma," she found courage to ask at length, "do you know
anything about Lord Tulliwuddle?"

Lady Grillyer continued uneasy. These irrelevant questions undoubtedly
indicated a mind unhinged.

"I was acquainted with the late Lord Tulliwuddle."

"Oh, he is dead, then?"

"Certainly."

Alicia's face clouded for a moment, and then a ray of hope lit it again.

"Is there a present Lord Tulliwuddle?"

"I believe so. Why do you ask?"

"I heard some one speak of him the other day."

She spoke so naturally that her mother began to feel relieved.

"Sir Justin Wallingford can tell you all about the family, if you are
curious," she remarked.

"Sir Justin!"

Alicia recoiled from the thought of him. But presently her curiosity
prevailed, and she inquired--

"Does he know them well?"

"He inherited a place in Scotland a number of years ago, you
remember. It is somewhere near Lord Tulliwuddle's
place--Hech--Hech--Hech-something-or-other Castle. He was very well
acquainted with the last Tulliwuddle."

"Oh," said Alicia indifferently, "I am not really interested. It was
mere idle curiosity."

For the greater part of twenty-four hours she kept this mystery locked
within her heart, till at last she could contain it no longer. The
resolution she came to was both desperate and abruptly taken. At five
minutes to three she was resolved to die rather than mention that sprig
of heather to a soul; at five minutes past she was on her way to Sir
Justin Wallingford's house.

"It may be going behind mamma's back," she said to herself; "but she
went behind mine when SHE consulted Sir Justin."

It was probably in consequence of her urgent voice and agitated manner
that she came to be shown straight into Sir Justin's library, without
warning on either side, and thus surprised her counsellor in the act
of softly singing a well-known hymn to the accompaniment of a small
harmonium. He seemed for a moment to be a trifle embarrassed, and the
glance he threw at his footman appeared to indicate an early vacancy
in his establishment; but as soon as he had recovered his customary