"Victor! Victor!" the voice called, "awake!"

He sat up with a bewildered face. Was that his aunt's voice, so hoarse,
so strange? Was this his aunt with that white, horror-struck face?

"Victor!" she cried, the words a very wail. "Oh, my boy! my boy! how
shall I ever tell you? Oh, why did I send for you this dreadful night?
Ethel"--her voice choked.

He rose to his feet, staring at her blankly.

"Ethel!" he repeated. "Ethel--"

She covered her face with her hands and burst into a hysterical
outbreak of tears. Edwards, standing behind her in the doorway, made
a step forward.

"Tell him, Edwards," said Lady Helena. "I cannot. It seems too
horrible to tell or to believe. Oh, my poor Victor! my poor, poor boy!"

Edwards came forward reluctantly, with a very pale, scared face.

"It's dreadful news, Sir Victor--I don't know how to tell you, but my
lady, I'm afraid she--she's dead."

"Dead!"

He repeated the word dully, staring almost stupidly at the speaker.

"Dead, Sir Victor!" the man repeated, solemnly. "I'm sore afraid,