Excepting some of the servants, there was no one about, they had all gone to their dressing-rooms, and he went up the stairs in silence and uninterrupted. With bent head and dragging step, for the long vigil and hours of excitement had told upon him, he stood before Lilian's room. It was worthy of notice that in this awful coming back of his he went to her first, as a matter of course, and knocking gently, went in. It was dark, and the lamp was burning softly, but she, accustomed to the dim light, saw plainly that something had happened. "Leycester!" she exclaimed. "Why--how is this, dear? Where have you been all day and all last night? You did not come to me and----" she stopped as he sat down beside her and put his hand upon her head. The hand was burning hot, his face was white and haggard and worn, and yet in some way strangely peaceful, with a far-away, dreamy expression upon it--"Leycester, where have you been?" He bent and kissed her. "Lil," he said, and there was a great peace in his voice though it was weary and husky, "you will be a brave good girl while I tell you!" "Ah, Leycester!" was all she murmured. "Well, Lil, I have found her--I have got her back--my poor Stella." Her hand closed on his, and her delicate face went white as ivory. "Got her back!" "Yes," he said, in low tones. "I have found out the mystery--no, not I. It was solved for me by a mightier hand than any human one--by Death, Lil." "Death, Leycester! She is not dead! Oh, Stella--Stella!" "Heaven forbid," he breathed. "No, no; she is alive, though fearfully near death still. I left her lying white and still and weak as a broken lily--my poor, sweet darling!--but she is alive, thank Heaven!--she is alive! And now can you bear to hear what separated us, Lil?" "Tell me," she said. Sitting there, with her loving, sympathizing heart beating against his, he told her the strange story. Sobs, low and moving, broke from her as he told of the boy's death, and an awful chill fell on her as he spoke as shortly as he could of the fate that had befallen Jasper Adelstone; but when he came to speak of that short damning note that he had found--that note in the hand-writing of Lenore, and hinted at her share in the conspiracy--the gentle heart grew cold and terrified, and she hid her face for a moment, then she looked up and clasped her hands round his neck. "Oh, Ley, Ley! deal gently with her! Forgive her! We all need forgiveness! Forgive her; she did it out of her love for you, and has suffered, and will suffer! Deal gently with her!" He bit his lip, and his brow darkened. "Ley, Ley!" the gentle creature pleaded, "think of her now waiting for you, think of her who was to be your wife. She loved you. Ley, she loves you still; and that will be her punishment! Ley, you will not be hard with her!" Her prayer prevailed; he drew a long breath.