the death-room. More than an hour before the youthful baronet had been
sent to his room, worn out with his night's watching.

It was the Reverend Cyrus Green who urged my lady now to follow him.

"You look utterly exhausted, my dear Lady Kingsland," he said. "Pray
retire and endeavor to sleep. You are not able to endure such fatigue."

"I am worn out," she said. "I believe I will lie down, but I feel as
though I should never sleep again."

She quitted the room, but not to seek her own. Outside the
death-chamber she paused an instant, and her face lighted suddenly.

"Now is my time," she said, under her breath. "A few hours more and it
may be too late. His safe, he said--the secret spring!"

She flitted away, pallid and guilty looking, into Sir Jasper's study.
It was deserted, of course, and there in the corner stood the grim iron
safe.

"Now for the secrets of the dead! No fortune-telling jugglery shall
blight my darling boy's life while I can help it. He is as
superstitious as his father."

With considerable difficulty she opened the safe, pulled forth drawer
after drawer, until the grim iron back was exposed.

"The secret spring is here," she muttered. "Surely, surely, I can find
it."