arter midnight last night--and so he hasn't been
hearn on since, and de fambly is in de greatest 'stress and anxiety.
Particular she, poor thing, as comed so far to see him! And we no more
s'picioning as he had a wife, nor anything at all, 'til she tumbled
right in on top of us! Law, Miss Nora, somefin werry particular must
have fetch you out in de snow to-night, and 'deed you do look like you
had heard bad news! Has you hearn anything 'bout him, honey?"

"Is it true, then?" moaned Nora, in a dying tone, without heeding his
last question.

"Which true, honey?"

"About the foreign lady coming here last night and claiming to be his
wife?"

"As true as gospel, honey--which you may judge the astonishment is put
on to us all."

"Jovial, where is the lady?"

"Up in de drawing-room, honey, if she has not 'tired to her chamber."

"Show me up there, Jovial, I must see her for myself," Nora wailed, with
her head fallen upon her chest.

"Now, sure as the world, honey, you done heard somefin 'bout de poor
young marser? Is he come to an accident, honey?" inquired the man very
uneasily.

"Who?" questioned Nora vaguely.

"The young marser, honey; Mr. Herman Brudenell, chile!"

"What of him?" cried Nora--a sharp new anxiety added to her woe.

"Why, law, honey, aint I just been a-telling of you? In one half an hour
arter de forein lady tumbled in, young marse lef' de house an' haint
been seen nor heard on since. I t'ought maybe you'd might a hearn what's
become of him. It is mighty hard on her, poor young creatur, to be
fairly forsok de very night she come."

"Ah!" cried Nora, in the sharp tones of pain--"take me to that lady at
once! I must, must see her! I must hear from her own lips--the truth!"

"Come along then, chile! Sure as the worl' you has hearn somefin, dough
you won't tell me; for I sees it in your face; you's as white as a
sheet, an' all shakin' like a leaf an' ready to drop down dead! You
won't let on to me; but mayhaps you may to her," said Jovial, as he led
the way along the lighted halls to the drawing-room door, which, he
opened, announcing:

"Here's Miss Nora Worth, mistess, come to see Lady Hurt-my-soul."

And as soon as Nora, more like a ghost than a living creature, had
glided in, he shut the door, went down on his knees outside and applied
his ear to the key-hole.

Meanwhile Nora found herself once more in the gorgeously furnished,
splendidly decorated, and brilliantly lighted drawing room th