loss to place the right interpretation on those strange lines.
Instead of immediately opening the letter, she stopped the maid at the
library door. Julian's suspicion of the most trifling events that were
taking place in the house had found its way from his mind to hers.
"Wait!" she said. "I don't understand what is going on upstairs; I want
to ask you something."

The woman came back--not very willingly.

"How did you know I was here?" Mercy inquired.

"If you please, miss, her ladyship ordered me to take the letter to you
some little time since. You were not in your room, and I left it on your
table."

"I understand that. But how came you to bring the letter here?"

"My lady rang for me, miss. Before I could knock at her door she came
out into the corridor with that morsel of paper in her hand--"

"So as to keep you from entering her room?"

"Yes, miss. Her ladyship wrote on the paper in a great hurry, and told
me to pin it round the letter that I had left in your room. I was to
take them both together to you, and to let nobody see me. 'You will find
Miss Roseberry in the library' (her ladyship says), 'and run, run, run!
there isn't a moment to lose!' Those were her own words, miss."

"Did you hear anything in the room before Lady Janet came out and met
you?"

The woman hesitated, and looked at Julian.

"I hardly know whether I ought to tell you, miss."

Julian turned away to leave the library. Mercy stopped him by a motion
of her hand.

"You know that I shall not get you into any trouble," she said to the
maid. "And you may speak quite safely before Mr. Julian Gray."

Thus re-assured, the maid spoke.

"To own the truth, miss, I heard Mr. Holmcroft in my lady's room. His
voice sounded as if he was angry. I may say they were both angry--Mr.
Holmcroft and my lady." (She turned to Julian.) "And just before her
ladyship came out, sir, I heard your name, as if it was you they were
having words about. I can't say exactly what it was; I hadn't time to
hear. And I didn't listen, miss; the door was ajar; and the voices were
so loud nobody could help hearing them."

It was useless to detain the woman any longer. Having given her leave to
withdraw, Mercy turned to Julian.

"Why were they quarreling about you?" she asked.

Julian pointed to the unopened letter in her hand.

"The answer to your question may be there," he said. "Read the letter
while you have the chance. And if I can advise you, say so at onc