Lady Isabelle and Lieutenant Kingsland sat on the lawn before the old manor house in the soft glow of an English afternoon, contemplating the inevitable. In this case the inevitable was represented by the Dowager, who was enjoying a peaceful nap not fifty feet away. Only fifty feet of faultlessly-kept turf separated them from the vials of a mother's wrath; and in spite of their supreme happiness of the morning, they felt the presence of this gathering storm which must now be faced--as soon as the Marchioness awoke--for to wake her would put her in a bad temper, and her rage promised to be violent enough without any external irritants. But it happened that while the Dowager slumbered, Miss Fitzgerald, slipping around the corner of the house, appeared in the background, and signalling to the Lieutenant to come to her, where they could talk without awakening the Marchioness, gave him his telegram. He read its contents once, twice, and a third time, word by word, gave a sigh of unutterable relief, and then laughed joyously. "Good news, apparently," commented Miss Fitzgerald. "The best," he replied. "A crusty old relative, who is no good to anybody, lies dying in the north of England, and for some unknown reason has made me his heir-- I must leave at once to see him out of this world in proper style--but it means I'm a rich man." "I'm ever so glad. Must you start to-day?" "I shall go up to London this afternoon, and on to-morrow." "You'll spend the night in town, then?" "Yes. I must go to my bank and draw some funds for my journey." "Then you can do me a favour." "A thousand, if you want them, after what you've done for me." "Will you oblige me by taking charge of several chests of Mr. Riddle's stereopticon views; they're heavy, but fragile and very valuable, and I've promised him I'd find some one to take them up to town for him, and put them in safe keeping. Where do you bank?" "Bank of England, Victoria Street branch." "Will you leave it in their charge subject to my order?" "Certainly. How many cases?" "Five, and they're rather heavy." "All right. Have the chests put in the luggage cart, and I'll look out for them. Now I must tell my--why, it's Kent-Lauriston!" and to their mutual astonishment, they beheld that gentleman standing close beside them. "Good afternoon," he said. "You didn't expect to see me? I wired Mrs. Roberts." "I know my aunt will be delighted," said Miss Fitzgerald. "Won't you come into the house?" and she led the way, calling back to the Lieutenant: "I'll see they're ready. Thank you so much." Once in the hall, she wasted no time over the unexpected, and to her unwelcome, guest, but, consigning him to the butler, sped away to give directions as to the disposition of the chests, and was soon scurrying across the park to join the patient Secretary, who had had ample opportunity to smoke his two cigars.