ted by
Jean. These included the Prime Minister, politicians, and magnates of
commerce. And there were some mysterious visitors also, including a Mr.
Darnborough, who called one afternoon, being shown up by Jenner.

Jean, in surprise, found the butler and the visitor outside the door,
whereupon Jenner explained:

"This is Mr. Darnborough, nurse, a very great friend of his lordship. He
must see him alone, as they have confidential business to transact."

"Thank you, Jenner," replied Jean, rather stiffly. "If his lordship
wishes to see Mr. Darnborough alone he will probably tell me so."

And, surveying the visitor with some suspicion, she ushered him to the
sick man's side.

"Ah! my dear Darnborough!" cried his lordship, gaily, as soon as he
recognised him. "I'm very glad to see you. I heard that you were in
Cairo a week ago. Well, how are things in Egypt?"

"Just as full of trouble as ever," was the reply; "but----" and he
glanced inquiringly at Jean.

"Oh, yes, I forgot," exclaimed the Earl. "Nurse Jean, might I ask the
favour that you leave Mr. Darnborough to talk with me alone for half an
hour? I shall be all right--and my medicine is not due until five
o'clock."

Jean smiled at the pair.

"Certainly; I will come back when it is time for your lordship to have
the next dose," she answered.

And with that she passed noiselessly out of the room, the Earl's dark
eyes following her.

The door having closed, the pair were left alone. Then the Earl lay
listening attentively to the all-important secret report which
Darnborough had travelled down there to make.

CHAPTER XVI.

JEAN HAS A SURPRISE.

Jean, thus dismissed, descended to the library, where, across the dark
crimson carpet, the last rays of the gorgeous sunset slanted in through
the high windows in which were set the armorial bearings of the
dead-and-gone Bracondales in stained-glass escutcheons.

She crossed the great sombre apartment and stood gazing through the
diamond panes away over the level green of the broad park to where the
sea lay bathed in the golden light of the dying day.

Her eyes were fixed vacantly into space. She was thinking--thinking
again of that fateful paragraph in the paper--the unexpected news which
had rendered her a widow. And poor Adolphe? Alas! though he had been her
only friend and full of sympathy for her, yet he was now wearing out his
days in penal servitude at the dreaded Devil's Island.

She thought of h