Lady Frogmore slept till it was late, long after Agnes had dressed and come upstairs again to await at her bedside her sister’s awakening with a little anxiety after all the excitement of the night. Mary had lain very still; she had not moved for hours, and was sleeping like a child. But when she began to give signs of waking, her appearance changed. She moved about uneasily, her face contracted as if with pain; she put out her hands as if appealing to some one. Suddenly she sprang up broad awake in her bed. “Ford!” she cried, and then “Agnes!” as she perceived her sister. Her breath came quick, a look of terror came over her face. “Who was it?” she cried, “Who was it--that said ‘May he grow up an idiot, and kill you----’ Who was it, Agnes?” “Oh, my lady, my lady!” cried Ford from the other side of the bed. “Mary! don’t think of that, for God’s sake.” “Who was it?” she cried. “It was to me it was said.” “Oh, my lady,” said Ford, “don’t think of such dreadful things.” “‘May he grow up an idiot--and kill you--’ It was said to me--it was a curse upon my baby--my child! Who said it Agnes?--you know.” “Oh, Mary, what does it matter now? What harm could such wicked words do to any one? Yes--yes, it is true. Mary, I ought not to tell you, it was Letitia. Oh, what does it matter now?” Mary pushed her away, flinging herself out of her bed. “Not matter! Ford, let me dress at once. Order the carriage. Tell me what is the first train. We must go at once by the first train.” “Where, Mary? Oh, my dear, where?” “She asks me where?” cried Lady Frogmore, appealing in her excitement to the maid. “She asks me where, and she knows my boy is in that woman’s hands--my child in that woman’s hands: She said, may he grow up an idiot--my child, my baby! and he is in her hands. Oh, quick, quick, give me my things! Order the carriage! There is a train, early, that we went by before. Oh, the slow, horrible train it is, I remember, stopping everywhere; but at least don’t let us lose it now.” “Is it to the Park you are going, Mary?”