all?" said Charles, who had been listening intently.

"All," replied Evelyn. "We shall soon know the worst now."

"Very soon," said Charles. "Ralph may come in here at any moment. Evelyn
and Middleton, will you have the goodness to come with me?" And he led
the way into the hall.

We could hear Ralph in the next room, humming over an old Irish melody,
with an improvised accompaniment.

"Now show me her room," said Charles, "and please be quick about it."

Evelyn looked at him astonished, and then led the way up-stairs, along
the picture-gallery to another wing of the house. She stopped at last
before a door at the end of a passage, dimly lighted by a lamp at the
farther end. There was a light under the door, and a bright chink in the
key-hole, but though we listened intently we could hear nothing stirring
within.

"Knock again," said Charles to Evelyn. "Louder!" as her hand failed her.

There was no answer. As we listened the light within disappeared.

"Bring that lamp from the end of the passage," said Charles to Evelyn,
and she brought it.

"Hold it there," he said; "and you, Middleton, stand aside."

He took a few steps backward, and then flung himself against the door
with his whole force. It cracked and groaned, but resisted.

"The lock is old. It is bound to go," he said, panting a little.

"Really, Charles," I remonstrated--"a lady's private apartment! Miss
Derrick, I wonder you allow this."

Charles retreated again, and then made a fresh and even fiercer
onslaught on the door. There was a sound of splintering wood and of
bursting screws, and in another moment the door flew open inward, and
Charles was precipitated head-foremost into the room, his evening-pumps
flourishing wildly in the air. In an instant he was on his feet again,
gasping hard, and had seized the lamp out of Evelyn's hand. Before I had
time to remonstrate on the liberty that he was taking, we were all three
in the room.

It was empty!

In one corner stood a box, half packed, with various articles of
clothing lying by it. On the dressing-table was a whole medley of little
feminine knick-knacks, with a candlestick in the midst, the dead wick
still smoking in the socket, and accounting for the disappearance of the
light a few minutes before. The fire had gone out, but on a chair by it
was laid a little black lace evening-gown, evidently put out to be worn;
while over the fender a dainty pair of silk stockings had been hung, and
tw