other in this
house. I sent for you that you might meet him, and I desired my maid
to show you to this room first, that I might venture a word of warning
and advice. My brother is not the stranger that you evidently imagine
him. Beyond the fact that you and I were once married, that I of my
own will forsook you, and the reason, or part of the reason for so
doing, he knows little of our affairs. For my sake he will make no use
of that knowledge. But I think it best that you understand each other.
Will you please ring that bell?"

He obeyed her, looking much mystified and somewhat apprehensive.
Celine appeared promptly, and disappeared again in answer to Cora's
command:

"Show my brother here, Celine."

When the door opened, he turned slowly and met the cool gaze
of--Lucian Davlin!

That personage approached the invalid, saying: "You sent for me to
introduce me to this gentleman, I suppose, Cora?"

Mr. Percy arose slowly, and the two confronted each other, while Cora
nodded her head, as if unable to answer his words.

As Percy advanced the light from the one window that had been left
unshrouded fell full upon the two men, who gazed upon each other with
the utmost _sang froid_. Two handsomer scoundrels never stood at bay.
And while the dark face expressed haughty insolence, the blonde
features looked as if, after all, the occasion called for nothing more
fatiguing than a stare of indolent surprise.

Cora's voice broke the silence: "Mr. Davlin is my brother, Mr. Percy.
Please stop staring at each other, gentlemen, and come to some sort of
an understanding."

"Really, this is a most agreeable surprise," drawled Percy, looking
from one to the other with perfect coolness.

[Illustration: "Mr. Percy arose slowly, and the two confronted each
other."--page 306.]

"And quite dramatic in effect," sneered Davlin, flinging himself
into a chair. "Sit down, Percy; one may as well be comfortable. How's
the fair spinster to-day?"

Percy waved away the question, and resumed his seat and his languid
attitude, saying: "Upon my word this _is_ quite dramatic."

Davlin laughed, airily. "Even so. I hope the fact that this lady is my
sister will explain some things to you more satisfactorily than they
have hitherto been explained. And if so, we had better let bygones
drop."

Percy turned his eyes away from the speaker, and let them rest upon
the face of Cora. Again ignoring the remark addressed to him, he said,
slowly: "I don'