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the light from the library lamps. The mellow glow reached his face, and revealed Julian Gray.

Mercy was standing with her back to the light; her face being necessarily hidden in deep shadow. He recognised her by her figure, and by the attitude into which it unconsciously fell. That unsought grace, that lithe long beauty of line, belonged to but one woman in the house. He rose, and approached her.

'I have been wishing to see you,' he said, 'and hoping that accident might bring about some such meeting as this.'

He offered her a chair. Mercy hesitated before she took her seat. This was their first meeting alone since Lady Janet had interrupted her at the moment when she was about to confide to Julian the melancholy story of the past. Was he anxious to seize the opportunity of returning to her confession? The terms in which he had addressed her seemed to imply it. She put the question to him in plain words.

I feel the deepest interest in hearing all that you have still to confide to me,' he answered. But anxious as I may be, I will not hurry you. I will wait, if you wish it.'

'I am afraid I must own that I do wish it,' Mercy rejoined. Not on my own account-but because my time is at the disposal of Horace Holmeroft. I expect to see him in a few minutes.'

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Could you give me those few minutes?' Julian asked. I have something, on my side, to say to you, which I think you ought to know, before you see anyone--Horace himself included.'

He spoke with a certain depression of tone which was not associated with her previous experience of him. His face looked prematurely old and care-worn, in the red light of the fire. Something had plainly happened to sadden and to disappoint him since they had last met.

'I willingly offer you all the time that I have at my own command,' Mercy replied. Does what you

have to tell me relate to Lady Janet?'

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He gave her no direct reply. What I have to tell you of Lady Janet,' he said gravely, 'is soon told. So far as she is concerned, you have nothing more to dread. Lady Janet knows all.'

Even the heavy weight of oppression caused by the impending interview with Horace failed to hold its place in Mercy's mind when Julian answered her in those words.

'Come into the lighted room,' she said faintly. It is too terrible to hear you say that in the dark.'

Julian followed her into the library. Her limbs trembled under her. She dropped into a chair, and shrank under his great bright eyes, as he stood by her side looking sadly down on her.

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Lady Janet knows all!' she repeated, with her head on her breast, and the tears falling slowly over her cheeks. 'Have you told her?'

'I have said nothing to Lady Janet or to anyone. Your confidence is a sacred confidence to me, until you have spoken first.'

'Has Lady Janet said anything to you?'

'Not a word. She has looked at you with the

vigilant eyes of love; she has listened to you with the quick hearing of love-and she has found her own way to the truth. She will not speak of it to me-she will not speak of it to any living creature. I only know now how dearly she loved you. In spite of herself she clings to you still. Her life, poor soul, has been a barren one; unworthy, miserably unworthy, of such a nature as hers. Her marriage was loveless and childless. She has had admirers, but never, in the higher sense of the word, a friend. All the best years of her life have been wasted in the unsatisfied longing for something to love. At the end of her life You have filled the void. Her heart has found its youth again, through You. At her age-at any age-is such a tie as this to be rudely broken at the mere bidding of circumstances? No! She will suffer anything, risk anything, forgive anything, rather than own, even to herself, that she has been deceived in you. There is more than her happiness at stake; there is pride, a noble pride, in such love as hers, which will ignore the plainest discovery and deny the most unanswerable truth. I am firmly convinced-from my own knowledge of her character, and from what I have observed in her to-day-that she will find some excuse for refusing to hear your confession. And more than that, I believe (if the exertion of her influence can do it), that she will leave no means untried of preventing you from acknowledging your true position here to any living creature. I take a serious responsibility on myself in telling you this and I don't shrink from it. You ought to know, and you shall know, what trials and what temptations may yet lie before you.'

He paused-leaving Mercy time to compose herself, if she wished to speak to him.

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She felt that there was a necessity for her speaking to him. He was plainly not aware that Lady Janet had already written to her to defer her promised explanation. This circumstance was in itself a confirmation of the opinion which he had expressed. She ought to mention it to him. She tried to mention it to him. But she was not equal to the effort. The few simple words in which he had touched on the tie that bound Lady Janet to her had wrung her heart. Her tears choked her. She could only sign to him to go on. You may wonder at my speaking so positively,' he continued, with nothing better than my own conviction to justify me. I can only say that I have watched Lady Janet too closely to feel any doubt. I saw the moment in which the truth flashed on her as plainly as I now see you. It did not disclose itself gradually-it burst on her, as it burst on me. She suspected nothing-she was frankly indignant at your sudden interference and your strange language-until the time came when you pledged yourself to produce Mercy Merrick. Then (and then only) the truth broke on her mind; trebly revealed to her in your words, your voice, and your look. Then (and then only) I saw a marked change come over her, and remain in her while she remained in the room. I dread to think of what she may do in the first reckless despair of the discovery that she has made. I distrust-though God knows I am not naturally a suspicious man-the most apparently trifling events that are now taking place

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