rself regarding your position?"
questioned the landlord, feeling a deep pity for the beautiful woman, in
spite of his anxiety regarding the reputation of his house.

"None," but the word came hoarsely from the now hueless lips.

"But you have had no letters for a long time; the gentleman has for years
been engaged to an English lady; this paper gives a notice of his recent
marriage to her, and everything goes to prove that you have been grossly
deceived. It is very unfortunate, but I have received notice from several
of my guests that they will leave to-morrow morning unless I insist upon
this change, and thus it becomes my painful duty to request these rooms to
be vacated."

This was a bitter blow to add to all the rest, but Virgie, conscious of
her own purity, bore it with Spartan-like heroism.

She cast one look of scorn upon the man before her, then said, with a
calmness that was born of despair:

"Sir, I still assert, in the face of all that you have just said, that I
am the wife of Mr.--yes, of Sir William Heath, of Heathdale, Hampshire
County, England and some day it will be in my power to prove to you the
truth of my words; but I have no wish to occasion you either trouble or
loss, so I will go away; to-morrow morning."

The landlord looked greatly relieved at this assurance and yet he was
impressed both by her manner and her words.

He assured her of his sympathy, and kindly offered to assist her in
obtaining other rooms and establishing herself in them.

Virgie quietly declined this offer, however, and, thanking her for her
speedy compliance with his request Mr. Eldridge took his leave, though, to
his credit be it said, with considerable shamefacedness and embarrassment.

The next morning Virgie sent to Dr. Knox for his bill, paid it, dismissed
her nurse, notwithstanding her urgent plea to be retained even at reduced
wages, and then she quietly disappeared from the place, leaving no trace
behind her to point to her destination or future plans, and, after the
gossip consequent upon such a choice bit of scandal had died away, she
was, for the time at least, forgotten.

Chapter XIX.

Sir William Heath Returns To America.

"I cannot understand it, Miriam. It is the strangest thing in the world,
and I shall sail for America on the very next steamer."

It was Sir William Heath who spoke thus, and there was no mistaking the
decision in his voice.

He was sitting at the breakfast-table in the