break to him the news of your arrival?"

"No; not unless you think it unsafe to surprise him."

"On the contrary, an agreeable surprise might prove beneficial."

The Professor, who had received sundry instructions from Davlin,
assumed to be ignorant of the fact that the patient supposed his
step-daughter dead.

Smiling a little at the hypocrisy of the man, who pretended to have at
heart the interest of a patient supposed to be in an excessively
nervous state, yet was quite ready to expose that patient to the shock
of meeting, without previous preparation, one supposed to be dead and
in her grave, Madeline turned, and with a gesture brought Cora to her
side.

"Is Dr. Le Guise aware that my step-papa believes me to be dead?" she
asked.

Cora and the Professor looked dubiously at one another for an instant.
Then the former, seeing her cue in the face of the latter, said: "He
is not."

"Well, step-mamma, I am going up to see him soon, and, on second
thought, it will be best to have the doctor inform him of my
resurrection."

Cora nodded.

"And," pursued the girl, "I will only say that I desire you, doctor,
to inform him that I feigned death for reasons of my own. That I am
here in the flesh, and will appear in his presence soon. When you have
prepared him for my coming, have the goodness to come down and tell
me."

Saying this she turned away, after which the Professor quitted the
room to obey the summons of his patient.

Lucian Davlin had witnessed the interview, the summons and the
departure, from a distance. He had found no opportunity for conversing
with Cora, as yet, and was sorely puzzled by the present aspect of
affairs.

He had watched the two narrowly, but he found himself unable to read
the true meaning lurking beneath the soft words that fell from the
lips of Madeline. He could hear no jar in the music of her voice,
could catch no glance that would give the lie to her honeyed words.
She was playing her part like a born actress.

He had not expected to see Cora accept the situation without a
struggle. He was glad to find that there was to be no scene, and
yet--somehow he felt himself at a disadvantage.

He had viewed the situation from his stand-point, however, and had
decided upon his course of action.

First, he was resolved not to quit the field until he had made a
desperate attempt to regain his power over the heiress of Oakley.
Second, he would use stratagem in order to obtain an intervi