ly amazed as she clasped her
hands, and seemed ready to fling herself on his neck with joy. 'I came
because it will be a great shock to my uncle.'

'Then it is so! Nurse was right,' said Nuttie, turning deadly pale,
and standing as if before a firing platoon. 'Tell me, Mark, where did
they find him?'

'At the Faringdon Station. I was sent for to identify him.'

'Stay,' said Mr. Dutton, as there was a wild horrified look in Nuttie's
eyes. 'Do you mean little Alwyn?'

'Little Alwyn! No, certainly not. What of him?'

'Gregorio managed to lose him in the park yesterday,' put in Mr. Dutton.

'That accounts for it, then,' said Mark. 'No, it was Gregorio himself,
poor man. He was knocked down by the engine, and killed on the spot,
just by the station, at eleven o'clock last night. Our name was found
on him, and I was sent for early this morning. There was no doubt
about it, so I came on here at once to let my uncle know, little
thinking--'

'Oh, it is dreadful!' cried Nuttie, sinking into a chair. 'Do you
remember, my father told him never to see his face again unless he
found Alwyn?'

Broadbent came in at the moment with the coffee-pot, and stood
suspended, as he was told what had happened, Mark adding the detail:
'He was crossing the line in front of the engine.'

'Yes, sir,' said the butler. 'It is an awful dispensation. No doubt
he knew it was all up with him. You may not be aware, sir, of the
subject of his conversation in the park. Mr. Parker had just seen a
telegram of the result of the Derby, and he had heavy bets on Lady
Edina. I am afraid, sir, there can be no doubt that he found a
voluntary grave.'

'We will not talk of that. We cannot judge,' said Mark, shuddering. 'I
said I would send some one from here to arrange what was to be done
after the inquest.'

Broadbent immediately undertook to go, if his master did not require
him, and this was thought advisable, as his services were certainly not
acceptable to Mr. Egremont. Mark had thought himself likely to be
detained and had provided for his absence, and the awe-stricken trio
were consulting together over the breakfast-table, eating mechanically,
from the very exhaustion of agitation, when the door opened, and Mr.
Egremont in his dressing-gown was among them, exclaiming: 'You are
keeping it from me.' He had been wakened by the whispers and rushes of
the excited maids, had rung his bell in vain, dressed himself as best
he could aft