abbath evening and rowed back to "Paradise
Regained," as I had already christened my bungalow.

I sat down on the steps of the veranda, to peruse the home paper which
the minister had left with me, and it was not long before I was
startled by a flaring headline. The blood rushed from my face to my
heart and seemed as if it would burst that great, throbbing organ:--

"SUDDEN DEATH OF THE EARL OF BRAMMERTON AND HAZELMERE."

My eyes scanned the notice.

"News has been telegraphed that the Earl of Brammerton and Hazelmere
died suddenly of heart failure at his country residence, Hazelmere.
His demise has caused a profound sensation, as it occurred on the eve
of a House Party, arranged in celebration of the engagement of his son,
Viscount Harry Brammerton, Captain of the Coldstream Guards, to the
beautiful Lady Rosemary Granton, daughter of the late General Frederick
Granton, who was the companion and dearest friend of the late Earl of
Brammerton in the early days of their campaigning in the Crimea and
India."

A long obituary notice followed, concluding with the following
paragraph:

"It is given out that the marriage of the present Earl with Lady
Granton has been postponed and that, after the necessary business
formalities have been attended to, Captain Harry will join his regiment
in Egypt for a short term.

"Lady Rosemary Granton has gone to New York, at the cabled invitation
of some old family friends."

"It is understood that the Hon. George Brammerton, second and only
other son of the late Earl, is presently on a long walking tour in
Europe. His whereabouts are unknown and he is still in ignorance of
his father's death."

The pain of that sudden announcement, so soon after I had left home and
right on the eve of my new endeavours, no one shall ever know.

My dear old father! Angry at my alleged eccentricities sometimes, but
ever ready to forgive,--was gone: doubtless, passing away with a
message of forgiveness to me on his lips.

And,--after the pain of it, came the conflict.

Had what I had done caused or in any way hastened my father's death?
Admitting that Harry's fault was great and unforgiveable, would it not
have been better had I allowed it to remain in obscurity, at least for
a time? Was the keeping of the family name unsullied, was the
untarnished honour of our ancient family motto, "Clean,--within and
without," of greater importance than my father's life? Was it my duty
to be an u