GRACE ROSEBERRY, still listening in the conservatory, saw thedoor open, and recognized the mistress of the house. She softlydrew back, and placed herself in safer hiding, beyond the rangeof view from the dining-room.

Lady Janet advanced no further than the threshold. She stoodthere and looked at her nephew and her adopted daughter in sternsilence.

Mercy dropped into the chair at her side. Julian kept his placeby her. His mind was still stunned by the discovery that hadburst on it; his eyes still rested on her in mute terror ofinquiry. He was as completely absorbed in the one act of lookingat her as if they had been still alone together in the room.

Lady Janet was the first of the three who spoke. She addressedherself to her nephew.

"You were right, Mr. Julian Gray," she said, with her bitterestemphasis of tone and manner. "You ought to have found nobody inthis room on your return but _me_. I detain you no longer. Youare free to leave my house."

Julian looked round at his aunt. She was pointing to the door. Inthe excited state of his sensibilities at that moment the actionstung him to the quick. He answered without his customaryconsideration for his aunt's age and his aunt's position towardhim.

"You apparently forget, Lady Janet, that you are not speaking toone of your footmen," he said. "There are serious reasons (ofwhich you know nothing) for my remaining in your house a littlelonger. You may rely upon my trespassing on your hospitality asshort a time as possible."

He turned again to Mercy as he said those words, and surprisedher timidly looking up at him. In the instant when their eyesmet, the tumult of emotions struggling in him became suddenlystilled. Sorrow for her--compassionating sorrow--rose in the newcalm and filled his heart. Now, and now only, he could read inthe wasted and noble face how she had suffered. The pity which hehad felt for the unnamed woman grew to a tenfold pity for _her_.The faith which he professed--honestly professed--in the betternature of the unnamed woman strengthened into a tenfold faith in_her_. He addressed himself again to his aunt, in a gentler tone."This lady," he resumed, "has something to say to me in privatewhich she has not said yet. That is my reason and my apology fornot immediately leaving the house."

She stopped. For the first time in Lady Janet's experience of heryoung companion, she found herself speaking to ears that weredeaf to her. Mercy was incapable of listening. Julian's eyes hadtold her that Julian understood her at last!

Lady Janet turned to her nephew once more, and addressed him inthe hardest words that she had ever spoken to her sister's son.

"If you have any sense of decency," she said --"I say nothing ofa sense of honor--you will leave this house, and youracquaintance with that lady will end here. Spare me your protestsand excuses; I can place but one interpretation on what I sawwhen I opened that door."

"You entirely misunderstand what you saw when you opened thatdoor," Julian answered, quietly.

"Perhaps I misunderstand the confession which you made to me notan hour ago?" retorted Lady Janet.

Julian cast a look of alarm at Mercy. "Don't speak of it!" hesaid, in a whisper. "She might hear you."

"Do you mean to say she doesn't know you are in love with her?"

"Thank God, she has not the faintest suspicion of it!"

There was no mistaking the earnestness with which he made thatreply. It proved his innocence as nothing else could have provedit. Lady Janet drew back a step--utterly bewildered; completelyat a loss what to say or what to do next.

The silence that followed was broken by a knock at the librarydoor. The man-servant--with news, and bad news, legibly writtenin his disturbed face and manner--entered the room. In thenervous irritability of the moment, Lady Janet resented theservant's appearance as a positive offense on the part of theharmless man. "Who sent for you?" she asked, sharply. "What doyou mean by interrupting us?"

The servant made his excuses in an oddly bewildered manner.

"I beg your ladyship's pardon. I wished to take the liberty--Iwanted to speak to Mr. Julian Gray."

"What is it?" asked Julian.

The man looked uneasily at Lady Janet, hesitated, and glanced atthe door, as if he wished himself well out of the room again.

"I hardly know if I can tell you, sir, before her ladyship," heanswered.

Lady Janet instantly penetrated the secret of her servant'shesitation.

"I know what has happened," she said; "that abominable woman hasfound her way here again. Am I right?"

The man's eyes helplessly consulted Julian.

"Yes, or no?" cried Lady Janet, imperatively.

"Yes, my lady."

Julian at once assumed the duty of asking the necessaryquestions.

"Where is she?" he began.

"Somewhere in the grounds, as we suppose, sir."

"Did _you_ see her?"

"No, sir."

"Who saw her?"

"The lodge-keeper's wife."

This looked serious. The lodge-keeper's wife had been presentwhile Julian had given his instructions to her husband. She wasnot likely to have mistaken the identity of the person whom shehad discovered.

"How long since?" Julian asked next.

"Not very long, sir."

"Be more particular. _How_ long?"

"I didn't hear, sir."

"Did the lodge-keeper's wife speak to the person when she sawher?"

"No, sir: she didn't get the chance, as I understand it. She is astout woman, if you remember. The other was too quick for her--discovered her, sir, and (as the saying is) gave her the slip."

"In what part of the grounds did this happen?"

The servant pointed in the direction of the side hall. "In thatpart, sir. Either in the Dutch garden or the shrubbery. I am notsure which."

It was plain, by this time, that the man's information was tooimperfect to be practically of any use. Julian asked if thelodge-keeper's wife was in the house.

"No, sir. Her husband has gone out to search the grounds in herplace, and she is minding the gate. They sent their boy with themessage. From what I can make out from the lad, they would bethankful if they could get a word more of advice from you, sir."

Julian reflected for a moment.

So far as he could estimate them, the probabilities were that thestranger from Mannheim had already made her way into the house;that she had been listening in the billiard-room; that she hadfound time enough to escape him on his approaching to open thedoor; and that she was now (in the servant's phrase) "somewherein the grounds," after eluding the pursuit of the lodgekeeper'swife.

The matter was serious. Any mistake in dealing with it might leadto very painful results.

If Julian had correctly anticipated the nature of the confessionwhich Mercy had been on the point of addressing to him, theperson whom he had been the means of introducing into the housewas--what she had vainly asserted herself to be--no other thanthe true Grace Roseberry.

Taking this for granted, it was of the utmost importance that heshould speak to Grace privately, before she committed herself toany rashly renewed assertion of her claims, and before she couldgain access to Lady Janet's adopted daughter. The landlady at herlodgings had already warned him that the object which she heldsteadily in view was to find her way to "Miss Roseberry" whenLady Janet was not present to take her part, and when nogentleman were at hand to protect her. "Only let me meet her faceto face" (she had said), "and I will make her confess herself theimpostor that she is!" As matters now stood, it was impossible toestimate too seriously the mischief which might ensue from such ameeting as this. Everything now depended on Julian's skillfulmanagement of an exasperated woman; and nobody, at that moment,knew where the woman was.

In this position of affairs, as Julian understood it, thereseemed to be no other alternative than to make his inquiriesinstantly at the lodge and then to direct the search in person.

He looked toward Mercy's chair as he arrived at this resolution.It was at a cruel sacrifice of his own anxieties and his ownwishes that he deferred continuing the conversation with her fromthe critical point at which Lady Janet's appearance had interrupted it.

Mercy had risen while he had been questioning the servant. Theattention which she had failed to accord to what had passedbetween his aunt and himself she had given to the imperfectstatement which he had extracted from the man. Her face plainlyshowed that she had listened as eagerly as Lady Janet hadlistened; with this remarkable difference between there, thatLady Janet looked frightened, and that Lady Janet's companionshowed no signs of alarm. She appeared to be interested; perhapsanxious--nothing more.

Julian spoke a parting word to his aunt.

"Pray compose yourself," he said "I have little doubt, when I canlearn the particulars, that we shall easily find this person inthe grounds. There is no reason to be uneasy. I am going tosuperintend the search myself. I will return to you as soon aspossible."

Lady Janet listened absently. There was a certain expression inher eyes which suggested to Julian that her mind was busy withsome project of its own. He stopped as he passed Mercy, on hisway out by the billiard-room door. It cost him a hard effort tocontrol the contending emotions which the mere act of looking ather now awakened in him. His heart beat fast, his voice sank low,as he spoke to her.

"You shall see me again," he said. "I never was more in earnestin promising you my truest help and sympathy than I am now."

She understood him. Her bosom heaved painfully; her eyes fell tothe ground--she made no reply. The tears rose in Julian's eyes ashe looked at her. He hurriedly left the room.

When he turned to close the billiard-room door, he heard LadyJanet say, "I will be with you again in a moment, Grace; don't goaway."

Interpreting these words as meaning that his aunt had somebusiness of her own to attend to in the library, he shut thedoor. He had just advanced into the smoking-room beyond, when hethought he heard the door open again. He turned round. Lady Janethad followed him.

"Do you wish to speak to me?" he asked.

"I want something of you," Lady Janet answered, "before you go."

"What is it?"

"Your card."

"My card?"

"You have just told me not to be uneasy," said the old lady. "I_am_ uneasy, for all that. I don't feel as sure as you do thatthis woman really is in the grounds. She may be lurking somewherein the house, and she may appear when your back in turned.Remember what you told me."

Julian understood the allusion. He made no reply.

"The people at the police station close by," pursued Lady Janet,"have instructions to send an experienced man, in plain clothes,to any address indicated on your card the moment they receive it.That is what you told me. For Grace's protection, I want yourcard before you leave us."

It was impossible for Julian to mention the reasons which nowforbade him to make use of his own precautions--in the very faceof the emergency which they had been especially intended to meet.How could he declare the true Grace Roseberry to be mad? Howcould he give the true Grace Roseberry into custody? On the otherhand, he had personally pledged himself (when the circumstancesappeared to require it) to place the means of legal protectionfrom insult and annoyance at his aunt's disposal. And now, therestood Lady Janet, unaccustomed to have her wishes disregarded byanybody, with her band extended, waiting for the card!

What was to be done? The one way out of the difficulty appearedto be to submit for the moment. If he succeeded in discoveringthe missing woman, he could easily take care that she should besubjected to no needless indignity. If she contrived to slip intothe house in his absence, he could provide against thatcontingency by sending a second card privately to the policestation, forbidding the officer to stir in the affair until hehad received further orders. Julian made one stipulation onlybefore he handed his card to his aunt.

"You will not use this, I am sure, without positive and pressingnecessity," he said. "But I must make one condition. Promise meto keep my plan for communicating with the police a strictsecret--"

"A strict secret from Grace?" interposed Lady Janet. (Julianbowed.) "Do you suppose I want to frighten her? Do you think Ihave not had anxiety enough about her already? Of course I shallkeep it a secret from Grace!"

Re-assured on this point, Julian hastened out into the grounds.As soon as his back was turned Lady Janet lifted the goldpencil-case which hung at her watch-chain, and wrote on hernephew's card (for the information of the officer in plainclothes), "_You are wanted at Mablethorpe House_." This done, sheput the card into the old-fashioned pocket of her dress, andreturned to the dining-room.

Grace was waiting, in obedience to the instructions which she hadreceived.

For the first moment or two not a word was spoken on either side.Now that she was alone with her adopted daughter, a certaincoldness and hardness began to show itself in Lady Janet'smanner. The discovery that she had made on opening thedrawing-room door still hung on her mind. Julian had certainlyconvinced her that she had misinterpreted what she had seen; buthe had convinced her against her will. She had found Mercy deeplyagitated; suspiciously silent. Julian might be innocent, sheadmitted--there was no accounting for the vagaries of men. Butthe case of Mercy was altogether different. Women did not findthemselves in the arms of men without knowing what they wereabout. Acquitting Julian, Lady Janet declined to acquit Mercy."There is some secret understanding between them," thought theold lady, "and she's to blame; the women always are!"

Mercy still waited to be spoken to; pale and quiet, silent andsubmissive. Lady Janet--in a highly uncertain state oftemper--was obliged to begin.

"My dear!" she called out, sharply.

"Yes, Lady Janet."

"How much longer are you going to sit there with your mouth shutup and your eyes on the carpet? Have you no opinion to offer onthis alarming state of things? You heard what the man said toJulian--I saw you listening. Are you horribly frightened?"

"No, Lady Janet."

"Not even nervous?"

"No, Lady Janet."

"Ha! I should hardly have given you credit for so much courageafter my experience of you a week ago. I congratulate you on yourrecovery."

"Thank you, Lady Janet."

"I am not so composed as you are. We were an excitable set in_my_ youth--and I haven't got the better of it yet. I feelnervous. Do you hear? I feel nervous."

"I am sorry, Lady Janet."

"You are very good. Do you know what I am going to do?"

"No, Lady Janet."

"I am going to summon the household. When I say the household, Imean the men; the women are no use. I am afraid I fail to attractyour attention?"

"You have my best attention, Lady Janet."

"You are very good again. I said the women were of no use."

"Yes, Lady Janet."

"I mean to place a man-servant on guard at every entrance to thehouse. I am going to do it at once. Will you come with me?"

"Can I be of any use if I go with your ladyship?"

"You can't be of the slightest use. I give the orders in thishouse--not you. I had quite another motive in asking you to comewith me. I am more considerate of you than you seem to think--Idon't like leaving you here by yourself. Do you understand?

"I am much obliged to your ladyship. I don't mind being left hereby myself."

"You don't mind? I never heard of such heroism in my life--out ofa novel! Suppose that crazy wretch should find her way in here?"

"She would not frighten me this time as she frightened mebefore."

"Not too fast, my young lady! Suppose--Good heavens! now I thinkof it, there is the conservatory. Suppose she should be hidden inthere? Julian is searching the grounds. Who is to search theconservatory?"

"With your ladyship's permission, _I_ will search theconservatory."

"You!!!"

"With your ladyship's permission."

"I can hardly believe my own ears! Well, 'Live and learn' is anold proverb. I thought I knew your character. This _is_ achange!"

"You forget, Lady Janet (if I may venture to say so), that thecircumstances are changed. She took me by surprise on the lastoccasion; I am prepared for hernow."

"Do you really feel as coolly as you speak?"

"Yes, Lady Janet."

"Have your own way, then. I shall do one thing, however, in caseof your having overestimated your own courage. I shall place oneof the men in the library. You will only have to ring for him ifanything happens. He will give the alarm--and I shall actaccordingly. I have my plan," said her Ladyship, comfortablyconscious of the card in her pocket. "Don't look as if you wantedto know what it is. I have no intention of saying anything aboutit--except that it will do. Once more, and for the last time--doyou stay here? or do you go with me?"

"I stay here."

She respectfully opened the library door for Lady Janet'sdeparture as she made that reply. Throughout the interview shehad been carefully and coldly deferential; she had not oncelifted her eyes to Lady Janet's face. The conviction in her thata few hours more would, in all probability, see her dismissedfrom the house, had of necessity fettered every word that shespoke--had morally separated her already from the injuredmistress whose love she had won in disguise. Utterly incapable ofattributing the change in her young companion to the true motive,Lady Janet left the room to summon her domestic garrison,thoroughly puzzled and (as a necessary consequence of thatcondition) thoroughly displeased.

Still holding the library door in her hand, Mercy stood watchingwith a heavy heart the progress of her benefactress down thelength of the room on the way to the front hall beyond. She hadhonestly loved and respected the warm-hearted, quick-tempered oldlady. A sharp pang of pain wrung her as she thought of the timewhen even the chance utterance of her name would become anunpardonable offense in Lady Janet's house.

But there was no shrinking in her now from the ordeal of theconfession. She was not only anxious--she was impatient forJulian's return. Before she slept that night Julian's confidencein her should be a confidence that she had deserved.

"Let her own the truth, without the base fear of discovery todrive her to it. Let her do justice to the woman whom she haswronged, while that woman is still powerless to expose her. Lether sacrifice everything that she has gained by the fraud to thesacred duty of atonement. If she can do that, then her repentancehas nobly revealed the noble nature that is in her; then she is awoman to be trusted, respected, beloved." Those words were asvividly present to her as if she still heard them falling fromhis lips. Those other words which had followed them rang asgrandly as ever in her ears: "Rise, poor wounded heart!Beautiful, purified soul, God's angels rejoice over you! Takeyour place among the noblest of God's creatures!" Did the womanlive who could hear Julian Gray say that, and who could hesitate,at any sacrifice, at any loss, to justify his belief in her?"Oh!" she thought, longingly while her eyes followed Lady Janetto the end of the library, "if your worst fears could only berealized! If I could only see Grace Roseberry in this room, howfearlessly I could meet her now!"

She closed the library door, while Lady Janet opened the otherdoor which led into the hall.

As she turned and looked back into the dining-room a cry ofastonishment escaped her.

There--as if in answer to the aspiration which was still in hermind; there, established in triumph on the chair that she hadjust left--sat Grace Roseberry, in sinister silence, waiting forher.