"I must know now," panted Leo, as she opened and closed her hands in her excitement. "It would be better to speak," said the curate. "My sisters have been schooled to trouble, North. There has been a terribly sudden calamity at the Hall, Leo, dear. North was called up in the night, and--" "Is he dead?" she whispered hoarsely; and then reading her answer in the eyes of both, she uttered a long, low, "Ah!" and sat with her hand tightening upon her brother's, while she closed her eyes, and an agonising spasm seemed to contract her beautiful face. "A fit of giddiness seems to have seized Sir Luke, and he fell headlong from the top of the stairs to the bottom." "Ah!" Once more that strange expiration of the breath, which sounded to the listeners precisely the same, for their senses were not attuned with sufficient keenness to detect the difference. "I am sorry to have given you this terrible shock, Leo," said North tenderly; "but I felt bound to come and let Salis know." She did not reply directly, but sat there spasmodically clinging to her brother's hand with fingers that were damp and cold. "I am better now," she said at last, in a low whisper. "It is very terrible. Does Mary know?" "Not yet," said Salis. "I am going to fetch her down. Has the faintness passed away?" "Yes--yes!" she said hastily. "It was the suddenness of the news. Try not to startle Mary, Hartley; but she is not such a coward as I am." "You have been so ill," said North tenderly. "Your nerves are unstrung. Besides, it is a great shock to hear of so awfully sudden a death." "Go and tell Mary," said Leo, rising. "I am quite well now. Speak gently." "Yes," said the curate; and he left the room. "Tell me," said Leo, as soon as the door closed. "How was it? Was there any quarrel? It was an accident?" She spoke in a hurriedly excited manner, and there was a wildly anxious look in her eyes. "You are excited," said North, taking her hand, half professionally, half with the anxious touch of a lover; but she snatched it away with an angry flash from her eyes. She saw his pained look, and held out her hand the next moment. "If the pulse beats quickly," she said, smiling, "it is no wonder." "No, no, of course not," he cried, taking her hand, and holding it in his. "Now, tell me." "Oh, it was an accident," he said, "undoubtedly. I'm afraid there was a reason for it." Leo was silent, looking at North searchingly. "Oh, yes, I understand now," she said quickly. "He drank very much, did he not?" "I'm afraid so," replied North, feeling half troubled at the intimate knowledge displayed by the woman he loved. "It is very horrible," said Leo, closing her eyes. "Hush! they are coming down. Say as little as you can. Mary is very weak."