brary are to be put in order
for Virgie."

"Very well; I will speak to the housekeeper about it."

"You will mention, too, for <i>whom</i> they are being prepared," Sir William
said, glancing sharply at his sister. "It must be known at once that I
have a wife and child. I have made a great mistake in allowing you to
persuade me to keep silence upon the subject so long."

"But it was for mamma's sake, you know; while she was so ill it was better
not to have it talked about," apologized Lady Linton; but she mentally
resolved that she should be in no hurry to tell the secret, even if he had
ordered her to do so, at least until she was sure her brother would find
his wife.

Something might prevent his bringing Virgie home, and in that case a
scandal would be avoided if she kept silence. She would wait, at least,
until he notified her of the date of his return.

"It was a mistake, I tell you," Sir William repeated, with a clouded
brow. "It has been a mark of disloyalty to my wife which I will tolerate
no longer. So please do as I request."

Lady Linton bowed.

"Shall I cable for you?" she asked, after a moment of silence. "I shall be
in London most of the day, and perhaps I may be able to get a reply to
bring you on my return."

"No, thanks; I, too, shall go in town to-day, to engage my passage, and I
will attend to the matter myself," Sir William replied, and the heart of
the schemer sank within her.

She had intended to cable to Mrs. Farnum, and, if Virgie was still at the
hotel, authorize her to use any strategy to get her away before her
brother should arrive, and then send her a dispatch to suit the emergency.

But, if he cabled himself, and received an answer from his wife, she had
the very worst to fear for herself.

They went up to London on the same train, and Lady Linton suffered agonies
during that ride, and all day long, while she was shopping, her suspense
was terrible to her.

But when she entered the station, late in the afternoon, to return to
Heathdale, she was both startled and relieved to find her brother already
there, and pacing back and forth outside the waiting-room in great
excitement.

"Have you news, William?" she faltered, her heart beating almost to
suffocation.

"Yes," he answered, in a strained unnatural tone. "Here, read this!" and
he thrust a cablegram into her trembling hands.

She had hardly strength to unfold the paper, but her pulses bounded with
exultation as she read: