The hall-door was open as he had left it, and he saw the servants hurrying on their different affairs; no murmur of dread had reached them. There was to be a wedding, and, on the strength of it, they had each of them received a handsome present. Their faces were all smiles; but one or two, passing along, looked aghast as the master of that superb mansion, with his white face and horror-stricken eyes, came in.
The library was the nearest room at hand. He went in.
"Tell Miss Brace I want to see her directly," he said.
And in a few minutes Mattie stood trembling before him.
"There is something the matter," she said, in a low voice, "and, Lord Linleigh, you are afraid to tell me what it is."
He could only hold out his hands toward her with a trembling cry:
"Oh, great Heaven! how shall I tell her?"
She knelt down by his side, and held both his hands in hers. She felt that he was trembling—the strong figure was almost falling.
"Tell me!" she cried, calmly. "I am strong; you can trust me; I will help you all I can."
The good, kindly face grew almost beautiful in its look of high, patient resolve.