WITHOUT a word, Mabel left the room, followed by Margie, and in a minute more, Mrs. Beach was in possession of the key.
"Now go away and send my maid to help me to dress," said the old lady, "and in an hour's time, we will go together and make a thorough search of Margery's room."
With a triumphant glance at Margie, Mabel went downstairs, and found Nicholas in the smoking-room.
"Well, Nick," she said, "that young and lovely attendant of your mother's will be sent packing to-day, I fully expect."
"I hope not," returned Nicholas stoutly. "Mother and Clara would be lost without her."
"They'd get over it fast enough," said Mabel scornfully. "And do you know, Nick, she is getting round Clara so fast, now nurse is not here, that I should not be surprised, if she left her money to Margery Grayling instead of to me, and then goodness knows if we should ever be married."
"We never shall, anyway," said the young man bluntly.
"Why, Nick," cried Mabel, dumbfounded, "you can't mean that!"
"I do mean it, Mab. I wouldn't marry you now, not if you'd a million sterling. I have been some time coming to this, but now my mind is quite made up. Now, no tears and reproaches, please. Nothing will change me."
What Mabel might have said in reply was prevented, much to the relief of the young man, by the entrance of a servant to say that Mrs. Beach was ready for Miss Mabel, and with a heart torn between wounded love and triumphant hate, the girl went up to join in, or rather to lead, the search. That this would be thorough and exhaustive Mrs. Beach would have taken care, even had Mabel been less eager; but the work-box and writing-desk were left to the last, Mabel fearing to call attention to the latter herself.