The New Magdalen

in his letter could possibly be, Julian had looked at her adopted daughter. Asked next to explain what her adopt

Lady Janet deter

of the forms of ill-breeding. People in our rank of life ought to be above whispering in co

, prepared to question and cross-question her nephew, when an obstacle appeared at the other end of the library, in the shape of a man-servant with a message. One of Lady Janet's neighbors had cal

at she was unexpectedly engaged, but that Miss Roseberry would see the lady immediately. She then turned to Julian, and said, with her most satirical emphasis

possibly be quite as well if Mi

the way back to

ince. It will do you no harm to have a drive in the fresh air. Our friend has called to take me to the committ

tan Convalescent Home? The members, as I understand it, are to decide to-day which of the p

I know nothing about it; the architects themselves know nothing about it. One plan is, no doubt, just as bad as the other. Vote, as I should

d to open the

confidentially. "I had a thousand things t

be back i

by that time. Come here when you retu

rned to Julian, who had thus far remained in the background, sti

ongue now? Grace is out of the room; wh

st. I am only a

y abou

ing creature to some inconvenience i

suddenly, with a

ature,'" he asked, sharply, "I s

answered Juli

aid. "Grace has only been introduced to you hi

ed, haughtily, "that I should present her

evidence of his own ears. "Your wife!" he exclaimed, with

ried in a fortnight. May I ask," he added, with an

"Nonsense, Horace," she said. "Ju

choed the words. "Oh, yes! I

d to the main obje

r the last minute or two. I mean, Julian, the mysterious lady of your letter. We are alone, as you desired. Lift the vei

ranger to me," Julia

ou wrote me word you w

And, what is more, you ar

le. "Have I not warned you, Julian, that I hate mys

, Horace rose from his chair. "P

to him to si

e answered. "I now tell you-as Miss Roseberry's future husband-

ir of suspicious surprise. Julian

he began, "of my old friend and

glish consul

the consul. I have brought it with me, and I propose to read certain passages from it, which

ing with some alarm at the closely written sheets

d with a quest

it?" he asked. "The consul at Man

s patience nor yours, Horace, will be thrown away if you will

an his first extract fr

since information was sent to me of an English patient, received at the hospita

to the hospital, and w

t her head had a bandage over it, and I asked what was the nature of the injury that she had received. The answer informed me that the poor creature had been present, nobody

nly raised himself and exclaimed, "Good heavens! can this

Julian. "Listen to the rest of it. The c

n with hi

ir retreat, at the time when the German forces took possession of the enemy's posi

Wetzel?" c

repeated Julian, lo

in this. You remember my telling you how I first met with Grace? An

s shocked to hear that she had seen the woman killed by a German shell almost close at her side. Neither she nor I have had any relish for returning to the subject since. You were quite right, Julian, to avoid speaking of it while she was in the room. I understand it all now. Grace, I suppos

said Julian, in low tones, w

? Is the mystery

en begun yet. Let my fr

e second time to his e

th complete success. After performing the operation he kept her for some days under his own care, and then transferred her to the nearest hospital-the hospital at Mannheim. He was obliged to return to his duties as army surgeon, and he left his patient in the condition in which I saw her, insensible on the bed. Neither he nor the ho

he name down too," she said. "I never heard it befo

s second extract from

n, and that the poor creature's condition now alternated between exhaustion and delirium. In her delirious moments the name of your aunt, Lady Janet Roy, frequently escaped her. Otherwise her wanderings were for the most part quite unintelligible to the people at her bedside. I thou

"But I own I don't quite see in what way I

ed Horace. "It is very sad, no doub

extract," Julian answe

third extract, an

e trifling words I happened to address her by the name I had seen marked on her clothes. The instant the words "Miss Merrick" passed my lips a wild, vindictive expression appeared in her eyes. She exclaimed angrily, "Don't call me by that hateful name! It's not my name. All the people here persecute me by calling me Mercy Merrick. And when I am angry with them they show me the clothes. Say what I may, they persist in believing they are my clothes. Don't you do the same, if you want to be friends with me." Remembering what the physician had said to me, I made the necessary excuses and succeeded in soothing her. Without reverting to the irritating topic of the name, I merely inquired what her plans were, and assured her that she might command my services if she required them. "Why do you want to know what my plans are?" she asked, suspiciously. I reminded her in reply that I held the position of English consul, and that my object was, if possible, to be of some assistance to her. "You can be of the greatest assistance to me," she said, eagerly. "Find Mercy Merrick!" I saw the vindictive look come back into her eyes, and an angry flush rising on her white cheeks. Abstaining from showing any surprise, I asked her who Mercy Merrick was. "A vile woman, by her own confession," was the quick reply. "How am I to find her?" I inquired next. "Look for a woman in a black dress, with the Red Geneva Cross on her should

race," said

ar correspondent

"and you will understand my obj

the last time, and concluded h

he second time, I found her sullen and reserved. She openly attributed my inability to find the nurse to want of zeal for her interests on my part. I had, on my side, no authority whatever to detain her. I could only inquire whether she had money enough to pay her traveling expenses. Her reply informed me that the chaplain of the hospital had mentioned her forlorn situation in the town, and that the English residents had subscribed a small sum of money to enable her to return to her own country. Satisfied on this head, I asked next if she had friends to go to in England. "I have one friend," she answered, "who is a host in herself-Lady Janet Roy." You may imagine my surprise when I heard this. I found it quite useless to make any further inquiries as to how she came to know your aunt, whether

her chair and had passed behind him with the purpose of reading the consul's letter for herself over her nephew's shoulder. Juli

at for?" inquired

fore you do so I am anxious to prepare you for a very great surprise. Compose yourself and let me re

letter, as he had pro

the name marked on the clothes which you wore when you came here was your name. If

at the next two words, and started back with a loud cry o

u!" he cried. "What

n tol

ROSEB