g homewards.

Before leaving, Miss Ludington had told Dr. Hull that he might command
her so far as any pecuniary assistance should be needed either with
reference to the funeral or in connection with providing for Alta. She
said that it would be a relief to her to be allowed to do anything she
could. Dr. Hull thanked her and said that, as Mrs. Legrand had friends in
the city, it would probably be unnecessary to trouble her. If for no
other purpose, however, he said that he should possibly communicate with
her hereafter with a view to informing himself as to the future of the
young lady who had that night assumed the earth-life which his dear
friend, Mrs. Legrand, had laid aside.

It was an incident of this extraordinary situation that Miss Ludington
found herself at disadvantage even in expressing the formal condolence
she proffered. With Ida before her eyes it was impossible that she should
honestly profess to deplore the event, however tragical, which had
brought her back to earth. As for Paul he said nothing at all.

The rattling of the wheels on the stony pavement was enough of itself to
make conversation difficult in the carriage; even if it would otherwise
have flowed easily in a company so strangely assorted. As the light of
the street lamps from time to time flashed in at the windows Paul saw
that Ida's face continued to wear the look of helpless daze which it had
assumed from the moment that the sight of the dead woman in the cabinet
had convinced her that she could not trust her own knowledge as to the
relations of those about her.

But when at last the carriage rolled through the gates of Miss
Ludington's estate, and the houses of the mimic village began to glance
by, her manner instantly changed. With an exclamation of joyful surprise,
she put her head out at the window, and then looking back at them, cried,
delightedly, "Why it's Hilton! You have brought me home! There's our
house!" No sooner had she alighted than she ran up the walk to the door,
and tried to open it. Paul, hurrying after, unlocked it, and she burst
in, while he and Miss Ludington followed her, wondering.

The servants had gone to bed, leaving the lower part of the house dimly
lighted. Ida hurried on ahead from room to room with the confident step
of one whose feet knew every turning. It was evident that she needed no
one to introduce her there.

When Miss Ludington and Paul followed her into the sitting-room, she was
standing before