aid?"

Alban briefly explained. "You may judge," he said in conclusion, "how
great was our anxiety, when, following the instructions of our guide,
while our driver rang his alarum at the front portals, we made our
entrance into yon ribs of stone, found the doors already opened, and
feared we might be too late. But, meanwhile, the poor woman waits
without in the carriage that brought us from the station. I must go and
relieve her mind."

"And bring her hither," cried Darrell, "to receive my gratitude. Stay,
Alban; while you leave me with her, you will speak aside to Mills; tell
him that you heard there was an attempt to be made on the house, and
came to frustrate it, but that your fears were exaggerated; the man was
more a half-insane mendicant than a robber. Be sure, at least, that his
identity with Losely be not surmised, and bid Mills treat the affair
lightly. Public men are exposed, you know, to assaults from crackbrained
enthusiasts; or stay--I once was a lawyer, and" (continued Darrell,
whose irony had become so integral an attribute of his mind as to be
proof against all trial) "there are men so out of their wits as to fancy
a lawyer has ruined them! Lionel, tell poor Dick Fairthorn to come to
me." When the musician entered, Darrell whispered to him: "Go back to
your room--open your casement--step out on to the parapet--you will see
something white; it is a scrap of paper wrapped round my old armorial
seal. Bring it to me just as it is, Dick. That poor young Lionel, we
must keep him here a day or two; mind, no prickles for him, Dick."

CHAPTER III.

ARABELLA CRANE VERSUS GUY DARRELL; OR, WOMAN VERSUS LAWYER. IN THE
COURTS, LAWYER WOULD WIN; BUT IN A PRIVATE PARLOUR, FOOT TO FOOT,
AND TONGUE TO TONGUE, LAWYER HAS NOT A CHANCE.

Arabella Crane entered the room: Darrell hesitated--the remembrances
attached to her were so painful and repugnant. But did he not now owe to
her perhaps his very life? He passed his hand rapidly over his brow,
as if to sweep away all earlier recollections, and, advancing quickly,
extended that hand to her. The stern woman shook her head, and rejected
the proffered greeting.

"You owe me no thanks," she said, in her harsh, ungracious accents; "I
sought to save not you, but him."

"How!" said Darrell, startled; "you feel no resentment against the man
who injured and betrayed you?"

"What my feelings may be towards him are not for you to conjecture; man
could not conje