need not be afraid. I am as proud of my father and as
full of faith in him as even you can be; and if I go to see my mother,
it is only that I may tell her so, and let her understand that she has
no cause to be afraid for him." The color came to her face as she spoke,
and she lifted her head so proudly that Aunt Sophy felt--for a moment or
two--slightly abashed.

"I will be back in an hour," Lesley went on, firmly, "and I hope that
Mr. Kenyon will wait for me if he comes before I return."

"Am I to tell him where you have gone?" asked Miss Brooke, with a slight
touch of sharpness in her voice.

And Lesley replied, "Certainly. And my father, too, if you see him
before I do. I am not doing anything wrong."

Greatly to her surprise, Miss Brooke got up and kissed her. "My dear,"
she said, "you are very like your father, and I am sure you won't do
anything to hurt his feelings; but are you quite sure that you need go
to Lady Alice just at present?"

"Quite sure, Aunt Sophy." And then Miss Brooke sighed, shook her head,
and let her go, with the air of one who sees a person undertake a
hopeless quest. For she fancied that Lesley was going to make an attempt
to reconcile the husband and wife who had been so long separated, and
she did not believe that any such attempt was likely to succeed. But she
had not fathomed Lesley's plan aright.

The girl took a hansom and drove at once to her mother's house. She knew
well where it was situated, but she had never visited it before. It was
a small house, but in a good position, close to the Green Park, and at
any other moment Lesley would have been struck by the air of
distinction that it had already achieved. It was painted differently
from the neighboring houses: the curtains and flower-boxes in the
windows were remarkably fresh and dainty, the neat maid who opened the
front door was neater and smarter than other people's maids. Lesley was
informed that her ladyship was not up yet; and the servant seemed to
think that she had better go away on receiving this information.

"I will come in," said Lesley, quietly. "I am Miss Brooke. You can take
my name up to her first, if you like, but I want to see her at once."

The maid looked doubtful, but at this moment Mrs. Dayman was seen
crossing the hall, and her exclamation of mingled pleasure and dismay
caused Lesley to be admitted without further parley.

Lady Alice was up, but not fully dressed; she was breakfasting in a
dressing-