y she turned her face toward him, saying, simply: "Yes."

They were nearing the entrance, and he half stopped to ask his next
question. "Will you tell me what were your thoughts, Madeline?"

Slowly she ascended the steps, and at the door turned and faced him:
"I will tell you to-night."

And with a ripple of laughter on her lips, she entered the hall of
Oakley.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

THE SWORD OF FATE.

Evening at Oakley.

At last the long day was done: the day that to Madeline Payne had
seemed almost endless. At last, too, the early evening hours had
dragged themselves away, and the time of her triumph was at hand.

From out Hagar's cottage a silent party issued, and took their way
across the snow to the little stile just above the terrace walk. Here
they paused for a moment. Some one was loitering on the terrace, where
the shadows fell thickest. Madeline stepped through the gap, saying
softly: "Joliffe!"

Immediately the form emerged from the shadow. It was the cat-like
waiting-maid.

"It's all right, Miss," she said, in a whisper. "They are all in the
drawing-room, but I think they are getting uneasy."

"Well, I will not keep them in suspense long," said Madeline, and in
the darkness she smiled triumphantly. "Lead on, Joliffe."

Silently they moved on, and paused again at the side entrance; the one
from which Cora had endeavored to escape but a short time before.
Madeline opened the door, and in another moment she, with Mrs.
Ralston, Claire Keith, Clarence Vaughan and two strangers, stood
within the walls of Oakley.

They moved on like shadows to the rear end of the hall, up the
servant's stairway, and straight to the west wing. Evidently they
were expected here too, for in obedience to a light tap, the door
opened, and they passed quietly within the outer room of John Arthur's
prison suite.

"Close the door, Henry," said Madeline.

This being done, she turned and surveyed her comrades.

"So far, good," she pronounced. "Now, can you make yourselves
comfortable here for a little while? Hagar and Joliffe will know just
what to do as soon as I have, myself, viewed the field of battle; or
perhaps I had better pilot you in person."

"As you please," said the foremost of the strangers. "I think we
understand each other."

"Then we won't lose time," said Madeline. "Henry, call Dr. Le Guise."

Henry tapped at the door of the inner room, and in a trice the worthy
Professor stood in their midst. He