"He was a rich young man, and not likely to marry my poor friend," she added sorrowfully, and after that admission he could extract no more from Lizzie. With a sad heart he returned to the Clarkes' with his ill news. Mr. Clarke was terribly excited: "I will not believe she has gone with any man! I should sooner believe that that old hag has made way with the girl! Give me the address, Devereaux, and I will go and wring the truth from her black heart, if you will stay and cheer my wife while I am gone!" he exclaimed, springing up in passionate excitement. CHAPTER XXIX. THE BRIDAL. Dolly Dorr arrived duly that afternoon at the Devereaux mansion, her little head full of fancies as vain as Roma's--both dreaming of winning the same man. But when Dolly saw her hero's magnificent home her hopes began to fall a little. She began to comprehend that there were heights she could not reach. Miss Roma would be sure to get him back now--of course, she had come there for that purpose. Dolly felt as angry and disappointed as was possible to one of her limited brain capacity, but she hid her feelings and tried to attend to her various duties as Roma's maid. She saw that her mistress was subtly changed since she had left Cliffdene. A harrowing anxiety gleamed in her eyes, and when they were alone Roma was more irritable than she had ever seen her before. The reason was not far to seek. Jesse Devereaux had returned a while ago with news that nearly drove her mad. It was the story of her mother's rescue yesterday by Liane Lester, and the consequent resolve to adopt Liane as a daughter. Roma listened to him with the most fixed attention; she did not move or speak, but sat dumbly with her great, shining eyes fixed on his face, drinking in every word with the most eager attention. Inwardly she was furious, outwardly calm and interested, and at the last she said, with marvelous sweetness: "You have almost taken my breath away with surprise. So I am to have a sister to dispute my reign over papa's and mamma's hearts! How shall I bear it?" He was astonished at the equanimity she displayed. She had a better heart than he had thought. "So you do not care?" he exclaimed curiously. "What does it matter whether I care or not? No one loves poor Roma now!" she sighed, with a glance of sad reproach. The conversation had taken a reproachful turn, and he adroitly changed it. "But I had not told you all. Your parents' good intentions must come to naught, for the reason that Miss Lester went away mysteriously last night, and the cause of her disappearance is supposed to be an elopement." "Oh! With whom?" Roma's attempt at surprise was not very successful. "No one knows," he replied, and she exclaimed: "How sorry poor mamma will be!" "And you?" he asked curiously.