m his pocket
"what is the young lady's name?"

"Miss Morton by your leave" roared the butler.

"Well" replied Bench "look here." Johnson snatched the bit of crumpled
paper and read it through. On the paper was written

MISS SYLVIA MONTON.
Homer Villa, Margate.

"Mercy" screamed Johnson "wherever did you find it?"

"Well" replied Thomas Bench "I was walking in Orange Alley where old Nan
lives and outside the door I found this scrap of paper, what do you
think it means old pal?"

"I should say" said Johnson biting his lips "it looks as though it meant
that our young lady had taken up her abode there."

"So should I" said Bench with a broad grin and so saying the two men
walked out arm in arm. Outside they parted and Johnson took the first
train for Margate and whilst waiting at the station a telegram was
brought to him by dirty old Nan.

Tearing it open he found it was from Mayfield saying Mr. Earlsdown was
dying and he was wanted at once.

"Oh lor!" ejaculated the butler making a rush for the ticket office.
Johnson did not arrive at Mayfield till 4.0 o'clock, then he instantly
made his way to Mr. Earlsdown's bedroom.

All the servants in the household were standing round the bed and on it
lay the unconscious figure of Mr. Earlsdown.

"What is it?" cried Johnson pushing his way through the crowd.

"Appoplexy" answered Susan the housemaid holding her apron to her
streaming eyes "the poor dear master was so excited thinking about Miss
Monton and then all of a sudden he received a note telling of the
engagement of Mr. Albert Morris with Miss Saunders and then that sent
him off because he always wanted Mr. Albert to marry Miss Monton, and
when Mary went into the drawing room, there he was in a fit."

Just then the door opened and in walked Doctor Mason. The result of his
visit will be seen later on.

CHAPTER 12

SYLVIA'S RETURN

It was a beautiful morning about 3 or 4 days after our hero and
heroine's arrival at Margate. Leslie was just finishing his coffee and
toast and Sylvia was sitting near the window glancing over the morning
paper.

Suddenly her rosy face turned deadly pale and the paper nearly dropped
from her trembling fingers.

"What is is dearest?" asked Leslie placing his arm around her waist and
kissing her pallid forehead "has anything in the paper shaken your
nerves?"

"Oh Leslie Leslie" shrieked Sylvia falling into his arms "read this an