Things went very at Hall after Durham had established Lucy as its mistress during the absence of   
Bernard. The girl herself firmly believed that her cousin was dead and assumed deep mourning. She had been fond of 
 
Bernard in a sisterly way, and felt his loss deeply. It was her affection that provoked a quarrel between 
 
her and Julius, and which led to the breaking of their engagement. Lucy had a high temper, which had been kept in 
 
subjection during the life of Sir Simon. But now that she tasted the sweets of power she was not disposed to allow 
 
Julius to treat her as he chose.
 
Mrs. Gilroy came back from her visit to the lawyer in rather a dejected frame of mind. She saw that she had gone 
 
too far and had given Durham an inkling as to the possibility of Michael having masqueraded as Bernard. The 
 
had thought her position unassailable, knowing that she had married Walter Gore; and although there was 
 
a flaw in the circumstances upon which she built her claim, yet she trusted to her own cleverness to this 
 
from the too-clever lawyer. But, apart from this, the fact that he suspected someone of passing himself off as 
 
Bernard startled her, and opened an abyss at her feet. On leaving the office she judged it best to lower her crest 
 
for the moment and to wait patiently to see what would . Mrs. Gilroy was a well-educated woman and very 
 
, therefore she hoped to gain her ends by craft if not by force. So far she had failed, but she did not 
 
intend to abandon her claim for one failure.
 
As it was, she came back to the Hall and behaved herself much better than she had ever done before. She was 
 
respectful to Lucy, and did not display her of commands that she had hitherto done. No one could have 
 
been , and although Miss Randolph did not like or trust the woman, she had no fault to find with her in any 
 
way.
 
Lucy suffered from the shock of Sir Simon's death, and from the supposed death of Sir Bernard. In 
 
fact, the matter so on her nerves that she became , and Dr. Payne had to be called in. He was a 
 
handsome and popular young doctor who had practiced in Hurseton. As this was the first time he had been called to 
 
the Hall, he was naturally very pleased, and was very .
 
"A complete rest is what you need," he said to Miss Randolph. "I think you should keep to your bed as much as 
 
possible, and I will give you a . Naturally you suffer from the terrible circumstances of Sir Simon's death." 
 
He thought a moment and then continued, "A cheerful companion would do you good. Shall I ask Miss Malleson to come 
 
over."
 
"Is she cheerful?" asked Lucy languidly. "I fear not, doctor. She was engaged to my cousin, and his death has made 
 
her sad."
 
"Probably, but she bears up wonderfully. But that she is in mourning one would hardly guess she had sustained such 
 
a loss. Was she very much attached to Mr. Gore?"
 
"Yes. I never saw a more attached couple. Did you ever meet him?"
 
"Once at Miss Plantagenet's. You know I am great friends with the old lady. I often visit her, not professionally, 
 
for she is as healthy as a in a pond."
 
"Is Alice—Miss Malleson also well?"
 
"In very good health, and appears resigned to her loss."
 
"I should have thought she would have felt it more," said Lucy, . "Alice has such a tender heart."
 
Dr. Payne was doubtful. So far as he saw, Miss Malleson was cheerful under her sorrow. "She is 
 
, Miss Randolph, and that is wise. I think, however, if you would have her over to see you, it would do 
 
both her and yourself good."
 
"I shall write a note to her to-day," said Lucy. "I am very fond of her, and we get on very well together. Poor 
 
Alice. I wish Bernard had lived, so that he could have married her."
 
"From what I read in the papers it is just as well Mr. Gore did not live," said Payne, rising to take his leave. 
 
"If he was guilty—"
 
"Ah!" said Lucy, raising herself with from the sofa upon which she was lying. "If he was guilty. There it 
 
is, doctor. I do not believe he was. Bernard had a high temper, but he could not always control it, and was a 
 
kind-hearted boy. He is innocent I am sure."
 
"How are you sure, my dear Lucy?" asked a third voice, and she looked up to see Julius in the . He 
 
came forward. "Forgive me if I heard a few words of your conversation. But I have just come in. Dr. Payne, I hope I 
 
see you well."
 
"Quite well," said the doctor, who did not like Beryl, thinking him, in schoolboy phrase, "a ." "I am just 
 
going, Mr. Beryl."
 
"Are you ill, Lucy?" asked Beryl, with affection.
 
"I have an attack of nerves," she replied . "Poor Bernard's death has shaken me."
 
"It is just as well he did die, though."
 
"I have been saying that," said Payne; "but I must take my leave. I will come and see you again, Miss Randolph, and 
 
remember what I told you. Rest and cheerful company—Miss Malleson's for choice."
 
He departed smiling, and they heard him off. When the sound of the horse's died away, Julius, who was 
 
looking out of the window, turned to Lucy. "Why do you think Bernard is innocent?" he asked.
 
"Because, if he is guilty, his action gives the lie to his whole life, Julius," she replied, raising herself on her 
 
elbow. "I can't believe he killed my uncle."
 
"Sir Simon is not your uncle," said Beryl, jealously. "You are only a distant relative."
 
"Perhaps my marriage with you may make me a nearer one."
 
"If we ever do marry," said Julius, gloomily.
 
"So far as I am concerned I should like to break the engagement, Julius. We were never suited to one another."
 
Beryl's vanity was hurt. "Why did you accept me then?"
 
"What else could I do? It was Sir Simon's wish that we should marry, and, owing to my circumstances, I had no 
 
choice in the matter. During his life I was merely a puppet. But you do not care for me."
 
"I do. I swear I do."
 
"Although you swore for an hour, I should never believe you. There is only one thing in this world you love, 
 
Julius, and that is money. You told Sir Simon about Bernard being in love with Alice, that the poor boy might be 
 
disinherited."
 
Beryl did not deny the charge. "I believe you are in love with Bernard yourself," he said.
 
"No. Bernard and I are like brother and sister. But he is dead, so you need not cast stones at his memory."
 
"Are you sure he is dead?" asked Beryl, warming his hands.
 
Lucy sat up on the sofa and pushed the loose hair back from her forehead. "Why do you say that?" she asked sharply.
 
Julius stared at the fire. "I can't understand Durham's attitude," he said evasively. "He must know that Bernard is 
 
dead, seeing that the coat and hat were found on the banks of the river. No man could have lived in the cold and 
 
the fog. Yet if Durham was sure he would not hold the estate against Bernard's coming."
 
"Mr. Durham requires proof of the death," rejoined Lucy, sharply; "and until then, he is bound to administer the 
 
estate according to the will. As Bernard's body has not been found, there is always a chance that he may have 
 
escaped."
 
"I sincerely trust not."
 
"Ah! You always hated Bernard."
 
"On the contrary, I speak for his good. What's the use of his coming to life when he must suffer for his crime?"
 
"I don't believe he committed it," said Lucy, .
 
"You have no grounds for saying that," said Julius, pale with rage.
 
"I don't need grounds," retorted the genuine woman. "Bernard always was as kind-hearted as you were—and are, the 
 
reverse."
 
"I am not hard-hearted," snapped Beryl. "I always do good—"
 
"When it is to your own benefit."
 
"Not always. For instance, I am down here to get a small boy a post with Miss Plantagenet as a page."
 
"That is very good of you," said Lucy, scornfully.
 
"Ah, you see I can do a kind action. This boy is a grandson of Lord Conniston's housekeeper, Mrs. Moon."
 
"At Castle," said Lucy, with some color in her face. "I know."
 
"Do you know Lord Conniston?" asked Julius suspiciously.
 
"I have met him once. He seems to be a most fellow."
 
"What a delightful speech for a lady," said Beryl. "Conniston is a scamp. I heard he in the Lancers."
 
"It shows how brave he is. Every man worth calling a man should go to the front."
 
"Perhaps you would like me to go," Julius.
 
"You would never have the pluck," said Lucy, quickly. "All your ends in life are gained by cunning, not by 
 
bravery."
 
"Lucy, if you talk to me like that—" began Beryl, and then restrained himself with an effort. "It is no use our 
 
quarrelling. Let me show you that I am not so careless of others or so hard-hearted as I seem to be. Miss 
 
Plantagenet wants a page. I found this lad in London selling matches. He was a messenger boy at a tobacconist 
 
called Taberley, and Lord Conniston got him turned out of the situation."
 
"I don't believe that."
 
"It is true. The boy told me himself. He will tell you if you like to see him."
 
"I don't want to see him. Lord Conniston is too kind a man to behave in that way. He was fond of Bernard."
 
"And that makes him perfect in your eyes," said Beryl, looking . "See here, Lucy, Conniston has left the army
 
—so you see he is not so brave as you think."
 
"He left so as to seek after Bernard," said Lucy, quickly. "Mr. Durham told me so."
 
"To seek after Bernard," said Julius, slowly, "and I believe Bernard may be alive after all."
 
"In which case you would give him up to the police."
 
"No," said Julius with an emotion which did him credit, "I should never betray him. Lucy, if you can find out from 
 
Lord Conniston or Durham that Bernard is alive, let me know and I'll see what I can do to help him."
 
"How can you help him when you believe him guilty?"
 
"I might help him to escape. I don't want to see him hanged."
 
"He won't be hanged if Lord Conniston and Mr. Durham can save him."
 
"Ah!" Julius started to his feet. "Then he is alive."
 
"I can't say. I have no reason to think he is. But I am hoping against hope," said Lucy, rising. "I merely state 
 
what was said. Mr. Durham and Lord Conniston both told Alice that Bernard was innocent."
 
"They will find it difficult to prove that," sneered Beryl, with a white face. "I believe the fellow is alive after 
 
all. If he is I'll make it my business to find out where he is."
 
"And then?" asked Lucy, starting up and facing Beryl.
 
"Then it depends upon Bernard himself."
 
"Ah! You would make him pay money to save himself."
 
"I have a right to a portion of the estate."
 
"You have not," said Miss Randolph, her fists and all her gone. "Bernard is the owner of Gore 
 
Hall and of all the property, and of the title also. If he is alive, as I sincerely hope, his name will be 
 
cleared."
 
"And then you will throw me over and try to become Lady Gore."
 
"I throw you............