"And why was Miss Lys with him? And what do you know of her?" With perfect frankness Hampson explained how Mary had saved his life. He told of the strange occurrences in connection with Joseph's accident, recovery, and journey to Wales. "Miss Lys, I know," Hampson said, "was greatly impressed by Joseph and the occurrences connected with him. Only three days ago I met her, and we talked about him. She had not heard from her brother, with whom Joseph was staying. I had not heard from Joseph, either, for several weeks. We were both distressed." Suddenly, as he said this, Hampson started. He remembered the great fiery cross that he and Mary had seen hanging over London from the top of St Paul's Cathedral. Why should he keep back anything? he thought; and in short, graphic sentences he described this marvel also. Sir Thomas was intensely interested. His face was grave and set, his eyes wide with wonder. "Of course, I knew Miss Lys had a brother in Wales," he said. "I know her very well. But she has never said anything to me of this man Joseph, whom she sent to stay with him. What you have told me is extraordinary. Frankly, I could not have believed in all of it had I not been present at the theatre to-night. But I still fail to establish any connection between Joseph in Wales with Lluellyn Lys and Miss Lys with Joseph at the theatre." "And I am as much in the dark as you are," Hampson answered. While they had been speaking, the butler had been superintending the movements of a footman who was bringing in the soup and the chafing-dish with the oysters. Now he came up to his master, carrying a silver tray, upon which was a folded newspaper. "I am sorry, Sir Thomas," he said, "but I could not help overhearing part of what you and this gentleman were saying. You were mentioning some names which made me think that you could not have seen the paper to-day, sir." "Why, what d'you mean, Bryce?" Sir Thomas asked, in amazement. The butler took the paper, opened it, pointed to a column, and said: "The name 'Joseph' and Mr. Lys, sir. Mr. Lys is dead, sir. It's all here, in a special telegram to the _Daily Wire_." Sir Thomas jumped up from his seat, seized the paper, and spread it out upon the supper-table. Hampson rose also, and together the two men read the account of the doings in Wales with eyes that were nearly starting out of their heads. The butler and the footman had meanwhile discreetly withdrawn. Sir Thomas was the first to break the silence. He read less quickly than the practised journalist, but he was not long in supplying the connecting links of the strange story. He raised his hand to his head, with a weary and dejected movement. "It is beyond me," he said. "Since chance has thrown us together, and you have been so frank with me, I will be equally so with you. I, Mr. Hampson, have long had hopes that Mary Lys would be my wife."