“Well, he must not remain there another hour—it is too horrible!” She insisted upon going immediately to the young man, asking Adrian to accompany her. Lady Ruxley appeared to know the way perfectly; for, passing through Isabel’s room, she unbolted the door of the cell, and groped her way to the opposite side. As she stepped upon that semi-circular block of stone, she explained the secret to Adrian, and bidding him follow her, she pressed her foot upon the bolt and disappeared. As soon as the shaft arose to its place, he followed immediately, and soon found himself standing by her side, in the room already described. The young cripple was sleeping upon a couch, and had not heard them enter; but as Lady Ruxley stumped toward him with her cane, he started up, and regarded his strange visitors with amazement. Lady Ruxley nearly shrieked aloud as she beheld his terrible deformity, but quickly recovering herself, she moved still nearer to him, and exclaimed, in her blunt way: “Well, Herbert Randal, thank the Lord that you are at last born into the world!” “Madam, are you—who are you?” he stammered, regarding her with nearly as much curiosity as she did him. “I am a withered antediluvian, as you perceive, but the heart within me is sound yet, and capable of feeling for others’ woes, if not for others’ faults. I am Lady Ruxley, your mother’s aunt.” “I have heard of you, and Miss Douglas said you were very kind,” he said, gently, and regarding her bent form with a pitying eye. “Did she?” said her ladyship, eagerly, while her thin lips broke into a pleased smile. “Miss Douglas was a jewel.” “Miss Douglas was,” repeated the cripple, catching his breath, and a look of pain crossing his face. “Yes, was; for she is no longer Miss Douglas, but Mrs. Dredmond, and this is her husband,” returned Lady Ruxley, introducing Adrian. The two young men clasped hands, but Herbert Randal searched Adrian’s face wistfully and eagerly. And now there followed many questions and explanations, and a long conference, which resulted in Lady Ruxley deciding that young Randal should return at once with her to the villa, where he should remain until the return of the family from Paris, “when there will be a serious reckoning,” she concluded, with a stern, bitter look. Herbert demurred at first, but upon being assured by Adrian that it would be best, he at last consented, upon condition that he could induce his tutor to be party to the plan. The tutor was summoned, and although very much disturbed at this unexpected state of things, he was really glad at heart that for the future his pupil would know the comforts of life. Lady Ruxley assured him that his salary should be continued to him during his own and his sister’s life, for the sake of the kindness which he had shown his charge during the past.