er
Antoinette had returned to the house; then another.

Young Mrs. Gardiner did not come to the rendezvous.

"Why is she not here?" he asked himself; and for the first time in his
life he quite lost control of himself in a fit of terrible anger, and to
calm himself he had recourse more than once to the silver flask which he
carried in his breast-pocket.

Five, ten, fifteen minutes passed; then slowly one, two, three,
four--another five; then replacing his watch in his pocket, and
quivering with rage, Victor Lamont started for the house.

CHAPTER LVI.

The sound of the galloping hoofs of Victor Lamont's steed had scarcely
died away in the distance ere Bernardine opened her eyes and looked
wonderingly about her. For an instant she believed that her strange
surroundings--the bare room, with its curtainless windows, and the
strange women bending over her--were but the vagaries of a too realistic
dream from which she was awakening. But even while this impression was
strong upon her, the woman said, sneeringly:

"So you have regained consciousness--that's bad;" and she looked crossly
at the girl.

"Where am I--and who are you?" asked Bernardine, amazedly, sitting bolt
upright on the wooden settee, and staring in wonder up at the hard face
looking down into her own. But before she could answer, a wave of memory
swept over Bernardine, and she cried out in terror: "Oh, I remember
standing by the brook, and the dark-faced man that appeared--how he
caught hold of my arms in a grasp of steel, and I fainted. Did he bring
me away from Gardiner Castle?" she demanded, indignantly--"_dared_ he do
such a thing?"

"Do not get excited," replied the woman, coolly. "Always take everything
cool--that's the best way."

"But why did he bring me here?" insisted Bernardine.

"You will have to ask him when he comes back. He is the only one who can
answer that," returned the woman.

Bernardine sprung quickly to her feet; but it was not until she
attempted to take a step forward that she realized how weak she was.

"What are you intending to do?" asked the woman, sneeringly.

"Leave this place," replied Bernardine, sharply. "I have no idea as to
why I was brought here; but I do not intend to stop for explanations.
Step out of my way, please, and allow me to pass."

The woman laughed, and that laugh was not pleasant to hear.

"That is contrary to my orders. You are to remain here, in my charge,
under my eye, until--well, un