And last, but by no means least, as soon as Jess was in a fit condition to be prevailed upon by argument, or persuasion, to keep the past a profound secret, and marry the man to whom she was engaged, to secure the Dinsmore millions from going to waste, it should be accomplished. Queenie determined that if she could not wed John Dinsmore and secure his fortune one way, it should be done in another manner. CHAPTER XLIV. THE WAYS OF PROVIDENCE. There was another thing of which Queenie was equally convinced, and that was that the safest place for Jess, for the present, was beneath her own roof. John Dinsmore would, of course, never dream of looking for her there. She knew full well that he would not come near her home, therefore, she did not fear a meeting between Raymond Challoner and him. Queenie was not surprised when Raymond Challoner presented himself at her home the following afternoon, impatient to know what progress she was making with her arguments to induce Jess to reconsider her dismissal of himself and his suit; and very anxious to have an interview with the girl. “That will be impossible for the present,” declared Queenie; “for she has worked herself up into a state bordering almost on hysteria; indeed, she is so bad that I was obliged to call in a doctor to attend her, and his instructions were that she must be kept perfectly quiet; nothing whatever of an exciting nature must disturb her, or the result would be a serious case of brain fever.” Raymond Challoner bit his lip with the most intense vexation. “By the eternal, luck seems to be working dead against me!” he cried. “I am almost strapped as to cash--I must marry that confounded contrary girl, and without delay, too, to secure that fortune. You know delays are dangerous!” “Am I not equally as anxious? I am in the same position financially as yourself; my funds are horribly low, and your marrying this girl, and securing the Dinsmore fortune, which you have promised to divide with me as compensation for my services, is everything I have to depend upon; so why should I not expedite matters to the fullest extent of my power?” she demanded. “With your woman’s wit, you ought to be able to arrange matters somehow,” he persisted, doggedly. “I will do the very best I can; that is all that I can say,” she responded, and he was obliged to let matters rest in that way. He took a reluctant leave, with the understanding that he was not to call again until he was sent for, which Queenie declared should be the first moment in which she had Jess’ promise that she would see him. And Queenie meant what she said. For decency’s sake she allowed a week to pass since she had informed Jess of her husband’s tragic death, ere she put her scheme in motion. At the end of that week Queenie took the girl in hand. “This will never do, my dear,” she said. “You must take the punishment which has been meted out to you meekly.”