is proposal, on one condition.
"It is understood," she stipulated "that I am to see you the first thing
in the morning?"

Mrs. Linley was ready to accept that condition, or any condition, which
promised her a night of uninterrupted repose. She crossed the room to
her husband, and took his arm. "In my state of fatigue, Herbert, I shall
never get up our steep stairs, unless you help me."

As they ascended the stairs together, Linley found that his wife had a
reason of her own for leaving the drawing-room.

"I am quite weary enough to go to bed," she explained. "But I wanted
to speak to you first. It's about Miss Westerfield. (No, no, we needn't
stop on the landing.) Do you know, I think I have found out what has
altered our little governess so strangely--I seem to startle you?"

"No."

"I am only astonished," Mrs. Linley resumed, "at my own stupidity in
not having discovered it before. We must be kinder than ever to the poor
girl now; can't you guess why? My dear, how dull you are! Must I remind
you that we have had two single men among our visitors? One of them is
old and doesn't matter. But the other--I mean Sir George, of course--is
young, handsome, and agreeable. I am so sorry for Sydney Westerfield.
It's plain to me that she is hopelessly in love with a man who has run
through his fortune, and must marry money if he marries at all. I shall
speak to Sydney to-morrow; and I hope and trust I shall succeed in
winning her confidence. Thank Heaven, here we are at my door at last! I
can't say more now; I'm ready to drop. Good-night, dear; you look tired,
too. It's a nice thing to have friends, I know; but, oh, what a relief
it is sometimes to get rid of them!"

She kissed him, and let him go.

Left by himself, to compare his wife's innocent mistake with the
terrible enlightenment that awaited her, Linley's courage failed him. He
leaned on the quaintly-carved rail that protected the outer side of
the landing, and looked down at the stone hall far below. If the old
woodwork (he thought) would only give way under his weight, there would
be an escape from the coming catastrophe, found in an instant.

A timely remembrance of Sydney recalled him to himself. For her sake, he
was bound to prevent Mrs. Presty's contemplated interview with his wife
on the next morning.

Descending the stairs, he met his brother in the corridor on the first
floor.

"The very man I want to see," Randal said. "Tell me, Herbert, what is
the