woman's interest in love affairs, was inclined
to congratulate them both when they entered, deeming--as the chance had
been so propitious--that Lucian had proposed. But Diana looked so
stern, and Lucian so gloomy, that she held her peace.

Later on, when her curiosity got the better of her desire not to offend
her pupil, she asked if Denzil had spoken.

"Yes," replied Diana, "he has spoken."

"And you have refused him?" cried the old lady in dismay, for she did
not relish the idea that Lucian should have lost by her counsel.

"No; I have not refused him."

"Then you have said 'yes,' my dear!"

"I have said sufficient," replied Diana cautiously. "Please do not
question me any further, Miss Barbar. Lucian and I understand one
another very well."

"She calls him by his Christian name," thought the wise old dame, "that
is well. She will not speak of her happiness, that is ill," and in
various crafty ways Miss Barbar tried to learn how matters actually
stood between the pair.

But if she was skilful in asking questions, Diana was equally skilful in
baffling them, and Miss Barbar learned nothing more than her pupil chose
to tell her, and that was little enough. To perplex her still further,
Lucian departed for London the next day, with a rather disconsolate look
on his handsome face, and gave his adviser no very satisfactory
explanation at parting.

So Miss Barbar was forced to remain in ignorance of the success or
failure of her counsel, and could by no means discover if the marriage
she was so anxious to bring about was likely to take place. And so ended
Denzil's visit to Berwin Manor.

In the meantime, Lucian went back to London with a heavy heart, for he
did not see how he was to set about the task imposed on him by Diana. At
first he thought it would be best to advertise, as she advised, but this
he considered would do no good, as if Vrain--supposing him to be alive
and in hiding--would not come out at the false report of his murder, he
certainly would not appear in answer to an advertisement that might be a
snare.

Then Lucian wondered if it would be possible to have the grave opened a
second time that Diana might truly see if the corpse was that of her
father or of another man. But this also was impossible, and--to speak
plainly--useless, for by this time the body would not be recognisable;
therefore, it would be of little use to exhume the poor dead man,
whomsoever he might be, for the second time. Fina