"She caught her breath with a hard, gasping sound; but her blue eyes met mine unflinchingly. "'Yes, madame, I am, in the sight of God and man; but I am such an unhappy one. I can not tell you why. My heart is breaking. I want to go back to Allendale!' "'Is that where you live, Daisy?' "'Yes,' she said; 'I am going to start to-morrow morning.'" "How strange!" echoed the two sisters. "The strangest part of the affair is yet to come. The little creature drew from her pocket a twenty-dollar bill. "'You have been kind and good to me,' she said. I must take enough to carry me back to Allendale. You shall have all the rest, madame.' "'Put your money back into your pocket, Daisy,' I replied. 'Your husband has already paid your bill. He begged me to accept it in advance on the night you came.' "She gave a great start, and a flood of hot color rushed over her face. "'I--I--did not know,' she said, faintly, 'how very good Mr. Stanwick has been to me.'" The three sisters looked at one another in silent wonder over the rims of their spectacles and shook their heads ominously. * * * * * Dear reader, we must return at this period to Rex--poor, broken-hearted Rex--whom we left in the company of Pluma Hurlhurst in the spacious parlor of Whitestone Hall. "Daisy Brooks is at this moment with Lester Stanwick! You must learn to forget her, Rex," she repeated, slowly. A low cry escaped from Rex's lips, and he recoiled from her as though she had struck him a heavy blow. His heart seemed fairly stifled in his bosom, and he trembled in every limb with repressed excitement. "Here is a letter from Madame Whitney," she continued. "Read it for yourself, Rex. You see, she says: 'Daisy fled. It has been since ascertained she went to Elmwood, a station some sixty miles from here, where she now is, at the cottage of the Burton sisters, in company with her lover. I shall not attempt to claim her--her retribution must come from another source.'" The words seemed to stand out in letters of fire. "Oh, my little love," he cried, "there must be some terrible mistake! My God! my God! there must be some horrible mistake--some foul conspiracy against you, my little sweetheart, my darling love!" He rose to his feet with a deep-drawn sigh, his teeth shut close, his heart beating with great strangling throbs of pain. Strong and brave as Rex was, this trouble was almost more than he could bear. "Where are you going, Rex?" said Pluma, laying a detaining hand upon his arm. "I am going to Elmwood," he cried, bitterly, "to prove this accusation is a cruel falsehood. Daisy has no lover; she is as sweet and pure as Heaven itself! I was mad to doubt her for a single instant."