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mean?”
    Doctor Hills rose to meet him, and by way of a brief explanation he put into Tom’s hand the paper he had found on the table. Tom read the written message, and looked more stupefied than ever. With a sudden gesture he turned towards Schuyler Carleton and said in a low voice, “but you did love her, didn’t you?”
    â€œI did,” replied Carleton simply.
    â€œWhy should she have thought you didn’t?” went on Tom, looking at the paper, and seeming to soliloquize rather than to address his question to any one else.
    As this was the first time that the “S.” in Madeleine’s note had been openly assumed to stand for Schuyler Carleton, there was a stir of excitement all round the room.
    â€œI don’t know,” said Carleton, but a dull, red flush spread over his white face and his voice trembled.
    â€œYou don’t know!” said Tom, in cutting tones. “Man, you must know.”
    But no reply was made, and, dropping into a chair, Tom buried his face in both hands and remained thus for a long time.
    Tom Willard was a large, stout man, and possessed of the genial and merry demeanor which so often accompanies avoirdupois. Save for his occasional, though really rare, bursts of temper, Tom was always in joking and laughing mood.
    To see him thus in an agonized, speechless despair deeply affected Mrs. Markham. Tom had always been a favorite with her, and not even Madeleine had regretted more than she the estrangement between Richard Van Norman and his nephew. And even as Mrs. Markham looked at the bowed head of the great strong man she suddenly bethought herself for the first time that Tom was now heir to the Van Norman fortune.
    She wondered if he had himself yet realized it; and then she scolded herself for letting such thoughts intrude so unfittingly soon. And yet she well knew that it would not be in ordinary human nature long to ignore the fact of such a sudden change of fortunes. As she looked at Tom her glance strayed toward Mr. Carleton, and then the thought struck her that what Tom had gained this man had lost. For had Madeleine lived the Van Norman money would have been, in a way, at the disposal of her husband. The girl’s death then would make Tom a rich man, while Schuyler Carleton would remain poor. He had always been poor, or at least far from wealthy, and more than one gossip was of the opinion that he had wooed Miss Van Norman not entirely because of disinterested love for her.
    While Mrs. Markham was busy with these fast-following thoughts a voice in the doorway made her look up.
    A quiet, unimportant-looking man stood there, and was respectfully addressing Doctor Hills.
    â€œI’m Hunt, sir,” he said, “a plain-clothes man from headquarters.”
    The three men in the room gave a start of surprise, and each turned an inquiring look at the newcomer.
    â€œWho sent you? And what for?” asked Doctor Hills.
    â€œI’ve been here all night, sir. I’m on guard in the present room upstairs.”
    â€œI engaged him,” said Mrs. Markham. “Madeleine’s presents are very valuable, and although the jewels are still in the bank, the silver and other things upstairs are worth a large amount, and I thought best to have this man remain here during the night.”
    â€œA very wise precaution, Mrs. Markham,” said Doctor Hills; “and why did you leave your post, my man?”
    â€œThe butler told me of what had happened, and I wondered if I might be of any service down here. I left the butler in charge of the room while I came down to inquire.”
    â€œVery thoughtful of you,” said Doctor Hills, with a nod of appreciation; “and while I hardly think so, we may have use for you before the night is over. I am expecting Doctor Leonard, the county physician, and until he comes I can do nothing. I am sure the room above is sufficiently guarded for the time being, so suppose you sit down here a