“That girl who is leaning on the elder woman’s shoulder reminds me strongly of some one whom I have seen somewhere, but I cannot remember where, for I cannot quite see her clearly at this distance. And who are the other people in the room?” “They are all friends of Mr. Randolph Hay who knew him in California, before he came into his estate.” “Oh, how interesting! And they came here to see him?” “Yes, and to give him a reception in his own house,” said Will Walling, not quite truly. “Oh, how interesting! And, Mr. Walling, who is that pretty young woman who has just gone up to the clergyman’s party?” “Some friend of the family. Here comes your brother. He has just left the group. And before he comes, my dear Mrs. Hay, I must tell you that there are others, or rather, there is one other person in this house in whom you are more intimately interested than in all the rest,” said Will Walling very gravely. Lamia looked a little disturbed. “Who can that be?” she inquired in a low, faltering voice. “Can you not surmise? Think what near relatives you have living.” “I—have no near relatives living—except my brother, and—my father.” “Your father is here, longing to see his only daughter.” “My father here? What has he come for?” demanded this Goneril in so sharp a tone of displeasure and annoyance that Will Walling lost all pity for her and spoke near his purpose when he answered: “He is waiting here in fatherly love and compassion, to be a shelter to his only daughter in the hour of her utmost need.” Lamia turned deadly pale and sick. The words of the lawyer, taken together with the awful exclamation of her husband before he fell into his stupor, warned her that some terrible revelation was at hand. “Oh! this is some horrid nightmare!” she muttered. At this crisis the sauntering and unsteady steps of Mr. Leegh brought him up to his sister’s side. “And now!” he exclaimed, “what is all this? And who the dev—deuce—mischief are you, sir?” “Oh, Cassius!” cried Lamia in great excitement. “This is Mr. Walling, of the firm of Walling & Walling, New York, of whom you have heard us speak. There is something dreadful the matter that has gathered all these people here. He tells me that our father is here also——” “The old man! What is the—what has brought him here?” demanded Leegh in as sharp a tone as his sister had used. Will Walling was as much disgusted with the one as with the other. He answered the question: “Your father is here, Mr. Leegh, to succor his daughter in her distress. Presently I shall ask you, her brother, to lead her to your father’s presence.”