And almost before I realized it, he had taken me with him out into the hall of the club, where he helped me on with my coat, gave me my hat, and sent for a cab to take me to the railway station. We scarcely exchanged farewells,--stupefied with the suddenness of the unexpected summons back to the home I had left in the morning, as I thought, for ever, I hardly knew what I was doing or where I was going, till I found myself alone in the train, returning to Warwickshire as fast as steam would bear me, with the gloom of the deepening dusk around me, and such a fear and horror at my heart as I dared not think of or define. What was the 'something alarming' that had happened? How was it that Mavis Clare had telegraphed to me? These, and endless other questions tormented my brain,--and I was afraid to suggest answers to any of them. When I arrived at the familiar station, there was no one waiting to receive me, so I hired a fly, and was driven up to my own house just as the short evening deepened into night. A low autumnal wind was sighing restlessly among the trees like a wandering soul in torment; not a star shone in the black depths of the sky. Directly the carriage stopped, a slim figure in white came out under the porch to meet me,--it was Mavis, her angel's face grave and pale with emotion. "It is you at last!" she said in a trembling voice----"Thank God you have come!" [3] _Edmond Rostand._ '_La Princesse Lointaine._' XXXIV I grasped her hands hard. "What is it?"--I began;--then, looking round I saw that the hall was full of panic-stricken servants, some of whom came forward, confusedly murmuring together about being 'afraid,' and 'not knowing what to do.' I motioned them back by a gesture and turned again to Mavis Clare. "Tell me,--quick--what is wrong?" "We fear something has happened to Lady Sibyl,"--she replied at once--"Her rooms are locked, and we cannot make her hear. Her maid got alarmed, and ran over to my house to ask me what was best to be done,--I came at once, and knocked and called, but could get no response. You know the windows are too high to reach from the ground,--there is no ladder on the premises long enough for the purpose,--and no one can climb up that side of the building. I begged some of the servants to break open the door by force,--but they would not,--they were all afraid; and I did not like to act on my own responsibility, so I telegraphed for you----" I sprang away from her before she had finished speaking and hurried upstairs at once,--outside the door of the ante-room which led into my wife's luxurious 'suite' of apartments, I paused breathless. "Sibyl!" I cried. There was not a sound. Mavis had followed me, and stood by my side, trembling a little. Two or three of the servants had also crept up the stairs, and were clinging to the banisters, listening nervously.