room or boudoir, which opened out of her own sleeping
apartment. As soon as Lesley entered she started up; and the girl
noticed at the first glance that her mother was looking ill, but perhaps
the richly-tinted plush morning-gown, that fell round her slender figure
in long straight folds, made her look taller and thinner than usual.
Certainly her face was worn, and her eyelids were reddened as if from
weeping or sleeplessness.

"Lesley! my darling! have you come back to me?"

She folded the girl in her arms and pressed her lips to the soft cheek,
a little sob breaking from her as she spoke.

"Only for half an hour, mamma. Just to speak to you for a few minutes
about _him_."

"Him! Your father! Oh, Lesley, what does it all mean?"

"Poor mamma! it must have been a great shock to you. Sit down, and I
will tell you all that I know."

And gently pressing Lady Alice back into a seat, Lesley took a footstool
at her mother's knee and told her the story. Lady Alice listened in
silence. With one hand she stroked Lesley's hair; with the other she
held Lesley's fingers, and Lesley noticed that it twitched from time to
time as if in nervous agitation. Otherwise, however, she was very calm.

"And so," she said, at last, "you came to tell me the story as you know
it.... But, my child, you have told me very little that I did not know
already. Even in last night's papers the relationship between Oliver
Trent and these people in Whitechapel was commented on. And your own
name, my darling--that did not escape. Did you think I should
misunderstand you?"

"Oh, no, mamma--not misunderstand _me_, but I was afraid lest you might
misunderstand some one else."

Lady Alice was silent.

"I was afraid," said Lesley, softly, "lest the years that have gone by
should have made you forget his gentleness and nobleness of soul--lest
for one moment you should think him capable of a mean or vile action. I
came to tell you, dearest mother, how impossible it was for us--who
_know_ him--to credit for one moment an accusation of this kind. If all
the world said that he was guilty, you and I, mamma, would know that he
was not."

"My child, my darling, you must speak for yourself. Do not try to speak
for me!"

"Mother, won't you give me a message for him?"

"Are you going to see him, Lesley?"

"I hope so. Mr. Kenyon said he would take me."

There was a short silence, and then Lesley lifted her eyes to her
mother's face. She was not encouraged