ning
eagerly forward with arms outstretched in an appeal for help! It
vanished while she looked, but the effect remained, holding her to
her seat for one startled moment. This seemed strange, for she had
anticipated adventure. One is not summoned from a private ball to ride a
dozen miles into the country on an errand of investigation, without some
expectation of encountering the mysterious and the tragic. But Violet
Strange, for all her many experiences, was of a most susceptible nature,
and for the instant in which that door stood open, with only the memory
of that expectant figure to disturb the faintly lit vista of the
hall beyond, she felt that grip upon the throat which comes from an
indefinable fear which no words can explain and no plummet sound.

But this soon passed. With the setting of her foot to ground, conditions
changed and her emotions took on a more normal character. The figure of
a man now stood in the place held by the vanished woman; and it was not
only that of one she knew but that of one whom she trusted--a friend
whose very presence gave her courage. With this recognition came a
better understanding of the situation, and it was with a beaming eye and
unclouded features that she tripped up the walk to meet the expectant
figure and outstretched hand of Roger Upjohn.

"You here!" she exclaimed, amid smiles and blushes, as he drew her into
the hall.

He at once launched forth into explanations mingled with apologies for
the presumption he had shown in putting her to this inconvenience. There
was trouble in the house--great trouble. Something had occurred for
which an explanation must be found before morning, or the happiness
and honour of more than one person now under this unhappy roof would be
wrecked. He knew it was late--that she had been obliged to take a long
and dreary ride alone, but her success with the problem which had once
come near wrecking his own life had emboldened him to telephone to the
office and--"But you are in ball-dress," he cried in amazement. "Did you
think--"

"I came from a ball. Word reached me between the dances. I did not go
home. I had been bidden to hurry."

He looked his appreciation, but when he spoke it was to say:

"This is the situation. Miss Digby--"

"The lady who is to be married tomorrow?"

"Who hopes to be married tomorrow."

"How, hopes?"

"Who will be married tomorrow, if a certain article lost in this house
tonight can be found before any of the