y story! Why didn't I or some of us
know you were here, till last night? You remember Lady Angleford, dear?"

The countess came forward and held out her hand with her friendly and
gentle smile.

"Come to the light and let me look at you," Lady Wolfer went on, drawing
Nell to the window; "though it's scarcely fair, after all you have gone
through. Nell, who would have thought that we were entertaining a
heroine unawares? We knew you were an angel, of course; but a heroine--a
heroine of romance! You dear, brave girl!"

Nell colored painfully.

"The whole place, the whole county, by this time, to say nothing of
London and every other place where a telegraph wire runs, is full of
it."

"Oh, I am sorry!" said poor Nell, aghast.

Lady Angleford smiled.

"It is the penalty one pays for heroism, Miss Lorton," she said; "and
you must forgive me for being grateful to you for saving Lord
Angleford's life."

"Oh, but I didn't--indeed I didn't!" exclaimed Nell, in distress.

"Oh, but indeed you did!" retorted Lady Wolfer. "Lord Angleford says so,
and he ought to know. He says that but for you the wretch would have
shot him--he was quite close."

Nell's face was white again now, and the countess came to her aid.

"We are forgetting one of the objects of our visit," she said. "You know
how anxious we are about Mr. Falconer, Miss Lorton. I hope he is in no
danger, my dear?"

She took Nell's hand as she spoke, and pressed it, and Nell colored
again under the sympathy in the countess' eyes.

"When I heard that he had been injured, I wished with all my heart that
the man had got clear off with the miserable diamonds--I was going to
say 'my' miserable diamonds, but they are only mine for a time. But I am
sure Lord Angleford joins me in that wish. All the diamonds in the world
are not worth rescuing at such a price as Mr. Falconer--and you--have
paid. I hope you can tell us he is better. We are all terribly anxious
about him."

Now, even in the stress and strain of the moment, Nell noticed a certain
significance in the countess' tone, a personal sympathy with herself,
conveyed plainly by the "and you," and it puzzled her. But she put the
faint wonder aside.

"I don't know," she said simply. "He is very ill--he was badly stabbed.
He has been delirious most of the night----"

"My poor Nell!" murmured Lady Wolfer, pressing her hand.

"I hope the nurse you have in to help you is a good one," said the
countess, as if she t