purpose, a noise from the outer room,
which was a square passage or hall, in which were placed some bronze
statues and antique shields, arrested her attention. Resting on her
elbow, she held her breath and listened.

The noise came again more distinctly. It seemed as if a door had been
opened with caution. Elsie arose, stole softly across the carpet, turned
the lock of her dressing-room door and entered the passage, carrying a
little night-lamp in her hand, which she had kindled among the alabaster
lilies. She had half crossed the hall, casting frightened looks around,
when a cry of dismay broke from her lips, for close by the door which
led to her sister-in-law's apartments she saw Elizabeth standing, pale
as death, but with her eyes burning like fire, turned upon a man who
stood leaning against one of the statues. It was Mr. North.

The two women stood face to face, regarding each other in dead silence,
while North smiled upon them both. The lamp trembled in Elsie's hand,
her face became white as snow. Without uttering a word she turned,
entered her room and locked the door.

The next day she left Piney Point with Mrs. Harrington. Mr. North left
also, but he went alone.

CHAPTER XIX.

LETTERS.

Months had passed since Grantley Mellen's departure for California; the
winter had gone, the summer faded, and though his absence had been
prolonged almost two years, there was little hope of his speedy return.

The business upon which he had gone out was not yet settled, and however
great his anxiety to meet his family, he would not endanger his worldly
interests so vitally as he would have done by any neglect or reckless
inattention in that affair.

Since the night of that unpleasant scene in the hall at Piney Cove,
Elsie Mellen had been at home so irregularly that all intimate relations
had died out between her and her sister-in-law. Some dark thought seemed
to possess the young girl, since the night of that strange adventure;
and, though the subject was never mentioned between her and Elizabeth,
Elsie's demeanor towards her brother's wife was one of cold, almost
hateful distrust, while Elizabeth grew more pensively sad each day, and
seemed to shrink from any explanation with painful sensitiveness.

At last Elsie almost entirely absented herself from the house. The very
premises seemed to have become hateful to her. Without deigning to
consult Elizabeth, she had been visiting about among her former
school