I am going to show it him to-night after dinner,' and she put it in her pocket, and then began to cry. I did not know what to say or do, I was so frightened at the thought of what was coming; and, as the dressing-bell rang at that moment, I was just leaving the room when she called me back. "'I can't come down to dinner,' she said. 'I hate Ralph to see me with red eyes. Tell him I shall come down afterwards, at nine o'clock, and that I want to see him particularly; only don't tell him what it is about, or mention it to any one else. I did not mean any one to know till he did.' "She began to cry afresh, and I made her lie down and put a shawl over her, and then left her, as I had still to dress, and I knew that Aunt Mary was not coming down. I was late as it was." "Is that all?" said Charles, who had been listening intently. "All," replied Evelyn. "We shall soon know the worst now." "Very soon," said Charles. "Ralph may come in here at any moment. Evelyn and Middleton, will you have the goodness to come with me?" And he led the way into the hall. We could hear Ralph in the next room, humming over an old Irish melody, with an improvised accompaniment. "Now show me her room," said Charles, "and please be quick about it." Evelyn looked at him astonished, and then led the way up-stairs, along the picture-gallery to another wing of the house. She stopped at last before a door at the end of a passage, dimly lighted by a lamp at the farther end. There was a light under the door, and a bright chink in the key-hole, but though we listened intently we could hear nothing stirring within. "Knock again," said Charles to Evelyn. "Louder!" as her hand failed her. There was no answer. As we listened the light within disappeared. "Bring that lamp from the end of the passage," said Charles to Evelyn, and she brought it. "Hold it there," he said; "and you, Middleton, stand aside." He took a few steps backward, and then flung himself against the door with his whole force. It cracked and groaned, but resisted. "The lock is old. It is bound to go," he said, panting a little. "Really, Charles," I remonstrated--"a lady's private apartment! Miss Derrick, I wonder you allow this." Charles retreated again, and then made a fresh and even fiercer onslaught on the door. There was a sound of splintering wood and of bursting screws, and in another moment the door flew open inward, and Charles was precipitated head-foremost into the room, his evening-pumps flourishing wildly in the air. In an instant he was on his feet again, gasping hard, and had seized the lamp out of Evelyn's hand. Before I had time to remonstrate on the liberty that he was taking, we were all three in the room. It was empty!