. We will tell her nothing, so she can suspect
as much as she likes; if we do speak freely she will spread the gossip,
and if we don't, she will invent worse facts; so in either case it
doesn't matter. What is it you have to tell me?"

Lucian could scarcely forbear smiling at Diana's candidly expressed
estimate of her ally's character, but, fearful of giving offence to his
companion, he speedily composed his features. With much explanation and
an exhibition of Miss Greeb's plan, he gave an account of his
discoveries, beginning with his visit to the cellar, and ending with the
important conversation with his landlady. Diana listened attentively,
and when he concluded gave it as her opinion that Lydia had entered the
first yard by the side passage and had climbed over the fence into the
second, "as is clearly proved by the veil," she concluded decisively.

"But why should she take all that trouble, and run the risk of being
seen, when it is plain that your father expected her?"

"Expected her!" cried Diana, thunderstruck. "Impossible!"

"I don't know so much about that," replied Lucian drily, "although I
admit that on the face of it my assertion appears improbable. But when I
met your father the second time, he was so anxious to prove, by letting
me examine the house, that no one had entered it during his absence,
that I am certain he was well aware the shadows I saw were those of
people he knew were in the room. Now, if the woman was Mrs. Vrain, she
must have been in the habit of visiting your father by the back way."

"And Ferruci also?"

"I am not sure if the male shadow was Ferruci, no more than I am certain
the other was Mrs. Vrain."

"But the veil?"

Lucian shrugged his shoulders in despair. "That seems to prove it was
she," he said dubiously, "but I can't explain your father's conduct in
receiving her in so secretive a way. The whole thing is beyond me."

"Well, what is to be done?" said Diana, after a pause, during which they
looked blankly at one another.

"I must think. My head is too confused just now with this conflicting
evidence to plan any line of action. As a relief, let us examine your
friend and hear what she has to say."

Diana assented, and touched the bell. Shortly, Miss Tyler appeared,
ushered in by a nervous waiter, to whom it would seem she had addressed
a sharp admonition on his want of deference. Immediately on entering she
pounced down on Miss Vrain like a hawk on a dove, pecked her