oman's shameless view of what is due to her, as stated by herself in
the plainest terms. I kept my temper; I did all I could to bring her to
a better frame of mind. I might as well have pleaded--I won't say with
a savage; savages are sometimes accessible to remonstrance, if you know
how to reach them--I might as well have pleaded with a hungry animal to
abstain from eating while food was within its reach. I had just given up
the hopeless effort in disgust, when Lady Janet's maid appeared with a
message for Miss Roseberry from her mistress: 'My lady's compliments,
ma'am, and she will be glad to see you at your earliest convenience, in
her room.'"

Another surprise! Grace Roseberry invited to an interview with Lady
Janet! It would have been impossible to believe it, if Julian had not
heard the invitation given with his own ears.

"She instantly rose," Julian proceeded. "'I won't keep her ladyship
waiting a moment,' she said; 'show me the way.' She signed to the maid
to go out of the room first, and then turned round and spoke to me from
the door. I despair of describing the insolent exultation of her manner.
I can only repeat her words: 'This is exactly what I wanted! I had
intended to insist on seeing Lady Janet: she saves me the trouble. I am
infinitely obliged to her.' With that she nodded to me, and closed the
door. I have not seen her, I have not heard of her, since. For all I
know, she may be still with my aunt, and Horace may have found her there
when he entered the room."

"What can Lady Janet have to say to her?" Mercy asked, eagerly.

"It is impossible even to guess. When you found me in the dining-room
I was considering that very question. I cannot imagine that any neutral
ground can exist on which it is possible for Lady Janet and this woman
to meet. In her present frame of mind she will in all probability insult
Lady Janet before she has been five minutes in the room. I own I am
completely puzzled. The one conclusion I can arrive at is that the note
which my aunt sent to you, the private interview with Miss Roseberry
which has followed, and the summons to Horace which has succeeded in its
turn, are all links in the same chain of events, and are all tending to
that renewed temptation against which I have already warned you."

Mercy held up her hand for silence. She looked toward the door that
opened on the hall; had she heard a footstep outside? No. All was still.
Not a sign yet of Horace's return.

"Oh!