do
see my people--especially my father--tell them I'm awfully sorry to
be such a nuisance to them. I got myself into the mess without
meaning it, and now there's really only one way out. Thank you
again.
Yours gratefully,
HERBERT DUNSTABLE.

Lady Dunstable crushed the letter in her hand. All pretence of
incredulity was gone. She began to walk stormily up and down. Doris sank
back in her chair, watching her, conscious of the most strangely mingled
feelings, a touch of womanish triumph indeed, a pleasing sense of
retribution, but, welling up through it, something profound and tender.
If _he_ should ever write such a letter to a stranger, while his mother
was alive!

Lady Dunstable stopped.

"What chance is there of saving my son?" she said, peremptorily. "You
will, of course, tell us all you know. Lord Dunstable must go to town at
once." She touched an electric bell beside her.

"Oh no!" cried Doris, springing up. "He mustn't go, please, until we
have some more information. Miss Wigram is coming--this afternoon."

Rachel Dunstable stood stupefied--with her hand on the bell.

"Miss Wigram--coming."

"Don't you see?" cried Doris. "She was to spend all yesterday afternoon
and evening in seeing two or three people--people who know. There is a
friend of my uncle's--an artist--who saw a great deal of Miss Flink, and
got to know a lot about her. Of course he may not have been willing to
say anything, but I think he probably would--he was so mad with her for
a trick she played him in the middle of a big piece of work. And if he
was able to put us on any useful track, then Miss Wigram was to come up
here straight, and tell you everything she could. But I thought there
would have been a telegram--from her--" Her voice dropped on a note of
disappointment.

There was a knock at the door. The butler entered, and at the same
moment the luncheon gong echoed through the house.

"Tell Miss Field not to wait luncheon for me," said Lady Dunstable
sharply. "And, Ferris, I want his lordship's things packed at once, for
London. Don't say anything to him at present, but in ten minutes' time
just manage to tell him quietly that I should like to see him here. You
understand--I don't want any fuss made. Tell Miss Field that Mrs.
Meadows is too tired to come in to luncheon, and that I will come in
presently."

The butler, who had the aspect of a don or