Author of "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab"; "The Pagan's Cup"; "Claude Duval of 95"; "The Rainbow Feather," Etc. G. W. Dillingham Company Publishers New York Copyright, 1903, By G. W. Dillingham Company CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. THE CHRISTMAS TREE 7 II. AN ANONYMOUS LETTER 16 III. A MYSTERIOUS VISITOR 26 IV. THE CHURCHYARD 37 V. AFTERWARDS 46 VI. THE CASE AGAINST ANNE 55 VII. OLIVER MORLEY 65 VIII. THE IRONY OF FATE 74 IX. A STRANGE DISCOVERY 84 X. ON A FRESH TRAIL 96 XI. PRINCESS KARACSAY 106 XII. MRS. PARRY'S TEA 118 XIII. MRS. BENKER REAPPEARS 129 XIV. TREASURE TROVE 139 XV. AN AWKWARD INTERVIEW 148 XVI. THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS 159 XVII. PART OF THE TRUTH 169 XVIII. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT 180 XIX. THE CLUE LEADS TO LONDON 190 XX. MANY A SLIP 'TWIXT CUP AND LIP 201 XXI. A STORY OF THE PAST 212 XXII. OLGA'S EVIDENCE 223 XXIII. MARK DANE 233 XXIV. A RAT IN A CORNER 245 XXV. A CATASTROPHE 259 XXVI. THE END OF THE TROUBLE 272 CHAPTER I THE CHRISTMAS TREE Two old ladies sat in the corner of the drawing-room. The younger--a colonial cousin of the elder--was listening eagerly to gossip which dealt with English society in general, and Rickwell society in particular. They presumably assisted in the entertainment of the children already gathered tumultuously round the Christmas tree, provided by Mr. Morley; but Mrs. Parry's budget of scandal was too interesting to permit the relaxing of Mrs. McKail's attention. "Ah yes," said Mrs. Parry, a hatchet-faced dame with a venomous tongue and a retentive memory, "Morley's fond of children, although he has none of his own." "But those three pretty little girls?" said Mrs. McKail, who was fat, fair, and considerably over forty.