e go out. Some time after Lady Verner went up to dress, I turned
round and found the fire was out. My hands are quite numbed."

"You have gone on playing there without a fire!" cried Decima.

"I shall be warm again directly," said Lucy cheerily. "As I passed
through the hall, the reflection of the blaze came out of the
dining-room. We shall get warm there. Is your head still aching, Mrs.
Verner?"

"It is always aching," snapped Sibylla.

Lucy, kind and gentle in spirit, unretorting, ever considerate for the
misfortunes which had come upon Mrs. Verner, went to her side. "Shall I
get you a little of your aromatic vinegar?" she asked.

"You need not trouble to get anything for me," was the ungracious
answer.

Lucy, thus repulsed, stood in silence at the window. The window on this
side of the house overlooked the road which led to Sir Rufus Hautley's.
A carriage, apparently closely shut up, so far as she could see in the
dusk, its coachman and footman attending it, was bowling rapidly down
towards the village.

"There's Sir Rufus Hautley's carriage," said Lucy. "I suppose he is
going out to dinner."

Decima drew to the window and looked out. The carriage came sweeping
round the point, and turned on its road to the village, as they
supposed. In the still silence of the room, they could hear its wheels
on the frosty road, after they lost sight of it; could hear it bowl
before their house and--pull up at the gates.

"It has stopped here!" exclaimed Lucy.

Decima moved quietly back to the fire and sat down. A fancy arose to
Lucy that she, Decima, had turned unusually pale. Was it so?--or was it
fancy? If it was fancy, why should the fancy have arisen? Ghastly pale
her face certainly looked, as the blaze played upon it.

A few minutes, and one of the servants came in, handing a note to
Decima.

"Bring lights," said Decima, in a low tone.

The lights were brought; and then Decima's agitation was apparent. Her
hands shook as she broke the seal of the letter. Lucy gazed in surprise;
Sibylla, somewhat aroused from her own grievances, in curiosity.

"Desire the carriage to wait," said Decima.

"It is waiting, Miss Decima. The servants said they had orders."

Decima crushed the note into her pocket as well as her shaking fingers
would allow her, and left the room. What could have occurred, thus to
agitate calm and stately Decima? Before Lucy and Mrs. Verner had
recovered their surprise she was back again, dressed t