away, and he
sat with her, telling her, at her urgent prayer, of all the proceedings
of the past night, as well as of his ill-success that morning.

He had prayed of her not to press him, but she insisted, and it was to
find that, in place of sending her into a fit of despondent weeping, she
spoke afterwards quite calmly.

"Yes," she said gently, as she raised his hand to her cheek and held it
there; "all these things are the plans of men, kings, and princes, with
their armies. But how insignificant it all seems compared with the
greatness of the Power which rules all. Frank dearest, we cannot--we
must not despair."

He looked at her wonderingly, and with his heart very sore; but somehow
she seemed to influence him, the future did not look quite so solidly
black as it had that morning, and he felt ready to tell her of his
encounter with Drew. But fearing to raise her hopes unduly on so
slender a basis he refrained, and stayed with her till the time was
approaching for his visit to the house across the Park. Then he left
her wondering at the feeling of lightness that came over him, and not
attributing it to the fact that he had something to do--something which
called his faculties into action to scheme and contrive the meeting
without being baffled by those who dogged the steps of every one about
the place.

Hope was inspiring him too again, and he refrained from going near
Captain Murray, setting quite at nought all thought of his duties at the
Palace, and waiting in his room watching the clock till he felt that it
was time to go.

He sat for a few moments longer, trying to come to a conclusion which
would be the better plan--to go carefully to the house after taking
every precaution against being seen, or to go boldly without once
looking back.

The latter was the plan he determined to adopt; but to throw dust in the
eyes of any watcher, he placed a couple of books under one arm, and
determined to bring three or four different ones back, so as to make it
appear that he had been to change some works in his father's library.

Whether any spy was upon his track or no he could not tell, for,
following out his plan, he went straight away to the house, thundered
loudly at the door, and dragged at the bell.

The old housekeeper admitted him with her old precautions, and eagerly
asked after her ladyship's health. Her next question, whether he had
heard from Sir Robert, convinced the lad that, living her quiet,