“Robbie, Robbie, dear, dear Robbie! O God! O God! It cannot be!” And again her eyes closed and she was still. “It is better, anything is better than that awful stare,” Mark said, bowing his head. At last, as evening approached, Tibby was seen coming slowly along over the gray plain, swinging her hat in her hand and laughing with Donald, who accompanied her. Alice looked at the flushed face of the happy girl, so radiant, so hopeful, so roseate, and her heart sank at the thought of her meeting with the crushed, broken lily who lay upon the couch behind her. And she slipped quietly out of the door to meet Tibby and prepare her. She put up her hand, enjoining quiet, as Tibby swung her hat in salutation. “Tibby, dear,” Alice said as the twain came to her side, “Mrs. Wylie has received bad news, and is quite overcome by it. She asked for you and I think you may be able to comfort her.” Tibby’s face blanched a little, and the laughing lips were sobered. “I will go in at once. Good-by, Mr. Bartram. I’ll leave you to Mrs. Cramer’s care.” And she flitted away. “We’re in great trouble, Donald. Mark will explain to you at another time,” Alice said. “You have my sympathy, whatever it may be,” the young man replied gravely. “If I can be a help in any way, command me.” “Thank you, Donald, we are always sure of that.” He lifted his hat. “You may bring Lissa over to-morrow. Perhaps the skein of mystery may be untangled by that time and more explainable,” she said as he turned away. With the coming of Tibby the stony stare of Elinor’s eyes was washed away by blessed tears, and with her head upon Tibby’s breast she wept long and silently, while Tibby soothed her with whispered words. Then after a time the sobs became less frequent, and to the relief of all, Elinor slept. “Thank God for this! and thank you, Tibby, also!” Mark ejaculated. “I feared her mind would give away to the shock. But this sleep will restore her. What a blessing is sleep. This world would be a mad-house of maniacs without it.” “Yes, Mr. Cramer; but may I not now know what this all means?” Mark handed Tibby the document which had wrought the ruin. She read it through with corrugated brow, and then sat thoughtfully with it in her hand. “Can you understand the cause for this, Tibby?” She shook her head. “No, unless—I do not know, but there was a woman on the boat with us when we went to Santa Barbara, whom Mr. Wylie seemed to admire and who appeared completely infatuated with him. So much so as to cause remark. I did not tell Mrs. Wylie, but I overheard people talking of her. She was in some way one of his kind, that is, she believed in spiritism and he seemed to enjoy her society.