"But he has not lost a finger," continued Diana, as though she had not heard him. "If my father, for fear of Lydia, is in hiding, he will come to you or me in answer to that advertisement." "But he must have seen the report of his death by violence in the papers, if indeed he is alive," urged Lucian, at his wit's end. "My father is weak in the head, and perhaps was afraid to come out in the midst of such trouble. But if you put in the advertisement that I--his daughter--am in England, he will come to me, for with me he knows he is safe. Also call on Dr. Jorce, and find out the truth about Signor Ferruci." "And then?" "Then when you have done these two things we shall see what will come of them. Promise me to do what I ask you." "I promise," said Lucian, taking her hand, "but you send me on a wild-goose chase." "That may be, Lucian, but my heart--my presentiment--my--instinct--whatever you like to call it--tells me otherwise. Now let us go inside." "Shall we tell Miss Barbar of our engagement?" asked Denzil timidly. "No; you will tell no one of that until we learn the truth of this conspiracy. When we do, Lucian, you will find that my father is not dead but is alive, and will be at our wedding." "I doubt it--I doubt it." "I am sure of it," answered Diana, and slipping her hand within the arm of her lover she walked with him up to the house. It was the strangest of wooings. Miss Barbar, with a true woman's interest in love affairs, was inclined to congratulate them both when they entered, deeming--as the chance had been so propitious--that Lucian had proposed. But Diana looked so stern, and Lucian so gloomy, that she held her peace. Later on, when her curiosity got the better of her desire not to offend her pupil, she asked if Denzil had spoken. "Yes," replied Diana, "he has spoken." "And you have refused him?" cried the old lady in dismay, for she did not relish the idea that Lucian should have lost by her counsel. "No; I have not refused him." "Then you have said 'yes,' my dear!" "I have said sufficient," replied Diana cautiously. "Please do not question me any further, Miss Barbar. Lucian and I understand one another very well." "She calls him by his Christian name," thought the wise old dame, "that is well. She will not speak of her happiness, that is ill," and in various crafty ways Miss Barbar tried to learn how matters actually stood between the pair. But if she was skilful in asking questions, Diana was equally skilful in baffling them, and Miss Barbar learned nothing more than her pupil chose to tell her, and that was little enough. To perplex her still further, Lucian departed for London the next day, with a rather disconsolate look on his handsome face, and gave his adviser no very satisfactory explanation at parting.