t again. "Then I simply don't see," she murmured helplessly.

Margaret's blush had fixed itself on her throbbing forehead. She
remained standing, while her strange visitor continued to gaze at her
with a perturbation in which the consciousness of indiscretion had
evidently as yet no part.

"I simply don't see," she repeated.

Suddenly she sprang up, and advancing to Margaret laid an inspired hand
on her arm. "But, my dear woman, you can help us out all the same; you
can help us to find out _who it is_--and you will, won't you? Because,
as it's not you, you can't in the least mind what I've been saying--"

Margaret, freeing her arm from her visitor's hold, drew back a step;
but Lady Caroline instantly rejoined her.

"Of course, I can see that if it _had_ been, you might have been
annoyed: I dare say I put the case stupidly--but I'm so bewildered by
this new development--by his using you all this time as a pretext--that
I really don't know where to turn for light on the mystery--"

She had Margaret in her imperious grasp again, but the latter broke
from her with a more resolute gesture.

"I'm afraid I have no light to give you," she began; but once more Lady
Caroline caught her up.

"Oh, but do please understand me! I condemn Guy most strongly for using
your name--when we all know you'd been so amazingly kind to him! I
haven't a word to say in his defence--but of course the important thing
now is: _who is the woman, since you're not?_"

The question rang out loudly, as if all the pale puritan corners of the
room flung it back with a shudder at the speaker. In the silence that
ensued Margaret felt the blood ebbing back to her heart; then she said,
in a distinct and level voice: "I know nothing of the history of Mr.
Dawnish."

Lady Caroline gave a stare and a gasp. Her distracted hand groped for
her boa and she began to wind it mechanically about her long neck.

"It would really be an enormous help to us--and to poor Gwendolen
Matcher," she persisted pleadingly. "And you'd be doing Guy himself a
good turn."

Margaret remained silent and motionless while her visitor drew on one
of the worn gloves she had pulled off to adjust her veil. Lady Caroline
gave the veil a final twitch.

"I've come a tremendously long way," she said, "and, since it isn't
you, I can't think why you won't help me...."

When the door had closed on her visitor Margaret Ransom went slowly up
the stairs to her room. As she dragged her feet