In a few hours he would speak the word which would make her the future

Countess of Angleford!

The ladies lingered at the table rather longer than usual, for Drake's

stories had suggested others to the other men, and his high spirits had

awakened those of the persons near him. But Lady Angleford rose at last,

and the ladies filed off to the drawing-room.

The men closed up their ranks, and Drake sent the wine round briskly.

There was no dance to cut short the pleasant "after-the-ladies-have-gone"

time; and they sat long over their wine, so that it was nearly ten

o'clock when Drake, with his hand on the decanter near him, said: "No more, anybody? Sure? Turfleigh, you will, surely!"

Advertisement..

But the old man knew that he had had enough. He, too, was excited, and

under a strain, and he rose rather unsteadily and shook his head.

"No, thanks. Er--er--I fancy we've rather punished that claret of yours

to-night, my dear boy."

"It's a sad heart that never rejoices!" Drake retorted, with a laugh

which sounded so reckless that Wolfer glanced at him with surprise.

"We'd better have a cigarette in the smoking room before we go into the

drawing-room," said Drake, and he led the way.

As they went, talking and laughing, together across the hall, a

white-faced woman leaned over the balustrade above, and watched them.

The other servants were in the servants' hall, enjoying themselves; the

gentlemen were in the smoking room, and the ladies in the drawing-room.

She was alone in the upper part of the house, which was so quiet and

still that the sound of a clock, in one of the rooms, striking ten was

like that of a church bell in her ears.

She started and pressed her hand to her heart, then stole to the window

on the back staircase, and, keeping behind the curtain, listened. Her

heart beat so loudly as to almost deafen her, but she heard a slight

noise outside, and something fell with a soft tap against the window

sill. It was the top of the ladder falling into its place.




Most Popular