His voice and manner indicated that he wished the conference ended, and
with a great sinking at his heart Frank left the room and returned to
his guests and his wife, who had not seen the stranger when he entered
the hall, and thus did not know of Arthur's arrival until her husband
rejoined her.

'He has come,' he whispered to her, while she whispered back:

'Is he alone?'

'Yes, but somebody is coming to-morrow; I do not know who; Gretchen, he
calls her,' was Frank's reply.

'Gretchen!' Mrs. Tracy repeated, in a trembling voice. 'Who is she?'

'I don't know. He merely said she was Gretchen; his daughter, perhaps,'
was Frank's answer, which sent the color from his wife's cheeks, and
made her so faint and sick that she would have given much to be alone
and think over this evil coming upon her the next day in the shape of
the mysterious Gretchen.

Meantime when left to himself, Arthur changed his mind with regard to
going down into the parlors to see his brother's guests, and, unlocking
the trunk which held his own wardrobe he took out an evening suit fresh
from the hands of a London tailor, and, arraying himself in it, stood
for a moment before the glass to see the effect. Everything was
faultless, from his neck-tie to his boots; and, opening the door, he
went out into the hall, which was empty, except for Harold, who was
sitting near the stairs, half asleep again. Most of the guests were in
the supper-room, but a few of the younger portion were dancing, and the