led upon Dr. Vaughan and informed him that Mr. Davlin
and the Professor, the latter disguised with wig, beard and
spectacles, had taken the early morning train that very day, and that
he, the detective, had been lounging so near that he heard Davlin call
for two tickets to Bellair.

And then they knew that the siege had begun.

Three days later, Olive received the following letter, which speaks
for itself:

OAKLEY, WEDNESDAY EVENING.

DEAR OLIVE:

The engagement has opened in earnest.

Last evening, Mr. D. and _le Docteur_, between them,
frightened the two maids out of the house. This morning I
succeeded in scaring away the old housekeeper, which made a
shortage in servants. Old Hagar happened along just then _by
some chance_, and declared herself not at all afraid of
contagion; so madame bade her brother employ her. The cook
remains, as _Monsieur_ and _le Docteur_ must eat. My meals
are served in madame's dressing-room, and shared by that
lady.

Courage, my friend, our time is almost here. And I am yours
till death,

M----.

This letter was perused by Olive and Clarence with almost breathless
eagerness and interest. And then they found themselves once more
waiting eagerly for fresh tidings from the "seat of war," as Clarence
termed it.

At last came a letter from Madeline that aroused them as the clarion
stirs those arrayed for battle. It ran as follows, bearing neither
date nor signature:

TO ARMS, MY FRIENDS!

If you were among the village gossips to-day, this is what
you would hear, for it is what is fast spreading itself
through the town:

The lady up at the mansion has been very ill, but is now
better. Her husband took the fever from her, and, being old
and his constitution enfeebled by the dissipation of his
earlier days, he came near dying. Now they hope that he will
live, although the danger is not yet passed. But _if he does
live_ he will never be himself again. The fever has affected
his brain, and he will be _hopelessly mad_.

That is what the villagers know.

What they do not know is, that Mr. D---- and the _doctor_
have already fitted up two rooms in the most secluded part
of the closed-up wing, and that the "insane" man will be
removed to those rooms to-night.

One fa