l you have the
goodness to explain what this means?"

"Oh-h-h-h!" ejaculated Lady Lisle again, in tones more long-drawn and
suggestive of the rage boiling up within, her darting and flashing eyes
telling their own tale of the storm about to burst.

"Oh, indeed, madam!" cried Sir Hilton, mockingly. "Really, I am very
sorry to have to make a display of the soiled laundry of our
establishment before our visitors, but I must demand an explanation.
Here am I, called suddenly away upon very important business respecting
monetary matters, and I return home late, to find that you have taken
advantage of my absence to--to--to--to--there, I will not give utterance
to my thoughts, but ask you, madam, to explain why I find you away, even
at midnight, and not putting in an appearance till nearly four in the
morning--four in the morning, and in a state that--Good heavens, madam!
have you looked at yourself in the glass?"

Lady Lisle had not looked at herself in the glass, and her husband's
words came so aptly, rousing such a feeling of wonder in her that she
involuntarily turned sharply to glance in one of the long mirrors and
see a reflection in the crossed light of the artificial and the real
coming from candle and break of day, that she felt horrified, and once
more ejaculated "Oh!"

"Yes. Oh, indeed!" cried Sir Hilton, grasping at his advantage. "Pray,
madam, will you be good enough to explain."

Lady Tilborough, who had drawn back behind the couch to give the
principals in this domestic scene room to develop their quarrel,
exchanged mirthful glances with the doctor.

"Taking the bull by the horns," whispered Granton.

"Cow!" whispered back Lady Tilborough, correctively, and she laid her
hands upon the piled-up Polar bear skin to support herself, but snatched
them away with a look of alarm at the doctor, one which changed to a
glance full of inquiry, his answer from a yard or so away being a
gesture with the hands which, being interpreted, meant, Haven't the
least idea. But he moved a little nearer, touched the skin, and then
whispered the one word: "Dog!"

Lady Tilborough felt comforted, nodded her head and turned her eyes from
the doctor to watch the domestic scene, and then felt uncomfortable, for
she found that Lady Lisle's attention had been drawn to what was going
on between her and the doctor concerning the strangely piled-up hill of
white fur, and her dark eyes were now fixed upon her uninvited visitor
with