in his pocket and returned to the house.

After some hesitation Anne decided on taking him at his word. In her
state of suspense, to remain within the four walls of the bedroom was
unendurable. If some lurking snare lay hid under the fair-sounding
proposal which Geoffrey had made, it was less repellent to her boldly to
prove what it might be than to wait pondering over it with her mind
in the dark. She put on her hat and went down into the garden. Nothing
happened out of the common. Wherever he was he never showed himself.
She wandered up and down, keeping on the side of the garden which was
farthest from the dining-room window. To a woman, escape from the place
was simply impossible. Setting out of the question the height of the
walls, they were armed at the top with a thick setting of jagged broken
glass. A small back-door in the end wall (intended probably for the
gardener's use) was bolted and locked--the key having been taken out.
There was not a house near. The lands of the local growers of vegetables
surrounded the garden on all sides. In the nineteenth century, and in
the immediate neighborhood of a great metropolis, Anne was as absolutely
isolated from all contact with the humanity around her as if she lay in
her grave.

After the lapse of half an hour the silence was broken by a noise of
carriage wheels on the public road in front, and a ring at the bell.
Anne kept close to the cottage, at the back; determined, if a chance
offered, on speaking to the visitor, whoever the visitor might be.

She heard voices in the dining-room through the open window--Geoffrey's
voice and the voice of a woman. Who was the woman? Not Mrs. Glenarm,
surely? After a while the visitor's voice was suddenly raised. "Where
is she?" it said. "I wish to see her." Anne instantly advanced to the
back-door of the house--and found herself face to face with a lady who
was a total stranger to her.

"Are you my son's wife?" asked the lady.

"I am your son's prisoner," Anne answered.

Lady Holchester's pale face turned paler still. It was plain that Anne's
reply had confirmed some doubt in the mother s mind which had been
already suggested to it by the son.

"What do you mean?" she asked, in a whisper.

Geoffrey's heavy footsteps crossed the dining-room. There was no time to
explain. Anne whispered back,

"Tell my friends what I have told you."

Geoffrey appeared at the dining-room door.

"Name one of your friends," said Lady Holche