servant's master knew the name as the name of a man of great wealth,
and of a Member of Parliament. He asked politely to what fortunate
circumstance he owed the honor of that visit. Mr. Vanborough answered,
briefly and simply, "I once lived here; I have associations with the
place with which it is not necessary for me to trouble you. Will you
excuse what must seem to you a very strange request? I should like
to see the dining-room again, if there is no objection, and if I am
disturbing nobody."

The "strange requests" of rich men are of the nature of "privileged
communications," for this excellent reason, that they are sure not to be
requests for money. Mr. Vanborough was shown into the dining-room. The
master of the house, secretly wondering, watched him.

He walked straight to a certain spot on the carpet, not far from the
window that led into the garden, and nearly opposite the door. On that
spot he stood silently, with his head on his breast--thinking. Was it
_there_ he had seen her for the last time, on the day when he left the
room forever? Yes; it was there. After a minute or so he roused himself,
but in a dreamy, absent manner. He said it was a pretty place, and
expressed his thanks, and looked back before the door closed, and then
went his way again. His carriage picked him up where it had set him
down. He drove to the residence of the new Lord Holchester, and left
a card for him. Then he went home. Arrived at his house, his secretary
reminded him that he had an appointment in ten minutes' time. He thanked
the secretary in the same dreamy, absent manner in which he had thanked
the owner of the villa, and went into his dressing-room. The person with
whom he had made the appointment came, and the secretary sent the valet
up stairs to knock at the door. There was no answer. On trying the lock
it proved to be turned inside. They broke open the door, and saw him