some, and--and I haven't--any."

"Oh, my dear! my poor dear!"

Mrs. Wappinger bustled away, crumpling the notes she found in her desk
into a little ball, which she forced into Diane's hand. To forestall
thanks she thrust her toward the door, accompanying her down the steps,
and kissing her as she entered the automobile.

"Why, bless my 'eart, if it ain't the madam!"

This outburst was a professional solecism on the part of Fulton, the
English butler, at Derek Pruyn's, but it was wrung from him in sheer joy
at Diane's unexpected appearance.

"You'll excuse me, ma'am", he continued, recapturing his air of decorum,
"but I fair couldn't help it. We'll be awful pleased to see you, ma'am,
if I may make so bold as to say it--right down to the cat. It hasn't
been the same 'ouse since you went away, ma'am; and me and Mr. Simmons
has said so time and time again. You'll excuse me, ma'am, but--"

"You're very kind, Fulton, and so is Simmons, but I'm in a great hurry
now. Is Mr. Pruyn at home?"

"Why, no, he ain't, ma'am, and that's a fact. He's to dine out."

"Where?"

"I couldn't tell you that, ma'am; but perhaps Mr. Simmons would know. He
took Mr. Pruyn's evening clothes to the bank, and he was to change
there. If you'll wait a minute, ma'am, I'll ask him."

But when Simmons came he could only give the information that his master
was going to a "sort o' business banquet" at one of the great
restaurants or hotels. Moreover, Miss Dorothea had gone out, saying that
she would not be home to dinner.

"Then I must write a note," Diane said, with that air of natural
authority which had seemed almost lost from her manner. "Will you,
Fulton, be good enough to bring me a glass of wine and a few biscuits
while I write? I must ask you, Simmons, for a railway guide."

In Derek's own room she sat down at the desk where, six months ago, she
had arranged his letters on the night when he had returned from South
America. She had no time to indulge in memories, but a tremor shot
through her frame as she took up the pen and wrote on a sheet of paper
which he had already headed with a date:

"I have bad news for you, but I hope I may be in time to keep it from
being worse. I have reason to think that Dorothea has gone to
Lakefield to be married there to Carli Wappinger. Should there be any
mistake you will forgive me for disturbing you; but I think it well to
be prepared for extreme possibilities. I am, therefore, going to