Immediately on her return to the castle, Vane Charteris sought her aunt, and whispered to her the success of her mission. Mrs. Crosbie willingly agreed to drive over early the next morning, and see what could be done with respect to dispatching Margery from the village; and Vane went up to her room, both satisfied and triumphant. Stuart’s eagerness was fed by fictitious tender messages from Margery, which Vane uttered glibly and without the slightest effort; and so the first part of her plot proved most successful. She learned from her aunt that the mother and son had met, and that Mrs. Crosbie had carried out her part to the letter, thereby causing Stuart no little surprise and pleasure. The news of Margery’s disappearance came like a thunderclap to Vane. She had never contemplated this _dénouement_, and was a little puzzled how next to act, until Mrs. Crosbie, in recounting the occurrences of her morning’s drive, incidentally mentioned that she had met Mrs. Bright, who was in great distress about her son. “What has happened to him, Aunt Constance?” asked Vane, with assumed indifference. “I thought I said that he was in love with this girl--wished to marry her, in fact--and is so troubled at her refusal that he has determined to leave England.” “Ah!” ejaculated Vane, looking up suddenly, her cold, blue eyes shining like stars. “Reuben Morris has gone to Australia, you say?” “He starts at the end of the week; he left Hurstley for London this morning.” “And the girl is with him?” next queried Miss Charteris. “She must be. The cottage is shut up, the key has been sent to the Weald, and the neighbors tell me they saw both the man and the girl leave early this morning.” “Could Mrs. Bright give you no clew as to where her son has gone, or intends to go?” “None. She gave me his note to read, in which he merely says he shall leave England for a while. This girl has bewitched him. A marriage with him would have been the best she could expect--indeed, much too good for her,” remarked Mrs. Crosbie, coldly. “What do you propose to do now, Vane?” she added, rising. “Nothing. I have finished. Aunt Constance, the game is ours. Do you not see that this young man has gone to Australia with them?” Mrs. Crosbie removed her driving-gloves slowly. “I scarcely think that Vane,” she replied, “for Margery Daw has refused to become his wife. His mother is highly incensed and greatly troubled, poor creature, about it. No, I cannot think that, Vane.” “It will prove to be the truth, nevertheless,” Miss Charteris said, quietly; adding, “and, as such, it is welcome as a full and complete solution to a difficult and disagreeable question. Poor Stuart--I am sorry for him!”