‘But you have no right to be anxious, Lucille,’ he answered; ‘can you not trust me? Do you not believe that I shall do all that care and skill can do, and that, if at any moment I see reason to doubt my own power to deal with this case, I shall call in some famous doctor to aid me?’ ‘I believe you will do all that is wise and right; but still I cannot help feeling anxious. Do not take any notice of me. I pray Heaven that all may come right in time.’ She said this with a weary air, as if almost worn out with care. It seemed cruel to trouble her at such a time, and yet Lucius could not refrain from some endeavour to solve the mystery of that scene last night. ‘Lucille,’ he began seriously, ‘you must promise not to be angry with me, nor to be alarmed by anything I may say.’ ‘I can’t promise that,’ she said, with a shade of impatience; not quite the old sweetness that had charmed and won him; ‘you are full of strange fancies and terrors. What was that you were saying to Mrs. Wincher just now?’ ‘I was only hinting at a suspicion that has become almost a certainty. There is something wrong going on in this house, Lucille.’ She started, and the pale face grew a shade paler. ‘What do you mean? What can be wrong?’ ‘There is foul play of some kind, a design against the property contained in this house. No doubt the report of its value has spread by this time; the house is known to be almost unoccupied. What more likely than that some one should attempt to plunder your grandfather’s possessions? What more easy, above all, if any one inside the house turned traitor and opened the door, in the dead of the night, to the intruder?’ ‘Lucius!’ The name broke from her lips almost in a scream, and it seemed as if Lucille would have dropped to the ground but for her lover’s supporting arm. ‘Lucille, is it worthy of you to be so terrorstricken? If there is danger to be met, can we not meet it together? Only trust me, darling, and all your fears will vanish. Believe me, I am strong enough to face any peril, if I have but your confidence. Accident has put me in possession of a secret connected with this house. Heaven knows what might have happened but for that providential discovery. But knowledge is power, and once aware of the danger, I shall find out how to cope with it.’ ‘A discovery!’ she repeated with the same terrorstricken look. ‘What discovery?’ ‘First, that the people you trust, these Winchers, whose fidelity has stood the test of five-and-twenty-years’ service, are improving their first opportunity to cheat. They are taking advantage of your grandfather’s helplessness. A man was admitted into this house secretly at one o’clock this morning.’ ‘What folly!’ cried Lucille with a faint laugh. ‘What could have put such a delusion into your head? A man admitted to this house at one o’clock this morning! Even if such a thing could have happened, which of course is impossible, who could have informed you of the fact?’