result. It was evident that, for that night at any rate, Virginia
was lost to them; and it was in a state of the deepest depression
that Mr Otis and the boys walked up to the house, the groom
following behind with the two horses and the pony. In the hall they
found a group of frightened servants, and lying on a sofa in the
library was poor Mrs. Otis, almost out of her mind with terror and
anxiety, and having her forehead bathed with eau-de-cologne by the
old housekeeper. Mr. Otis at once insisted on her having something
to eat, and ordered up supper for the whole party. It was a
melancholy meal, as hardly any one spoke, and even the twins were
awestruck and subdued, as they were very fond of their sister. When
they had finished, Mr. Otis, in spite of the entreaties of the
little Duke, ordered them all to bed, saying that nothing more could
be done that night, and that he would telegraph in the morning to
Scotland Yard for some detectives to be sent down immediately. Just
as they were passing out of the dining-room, midnight began to boom
from the clock tower, and when the last stroke sounded they heard a
crash and a sudden shrill cry; a dreadful peal of thunder shook the
house, a strain of unearthly music floated through the air, a panel
at the top of the staircase flew back with a loud noise, and out on
the landing, looking very pale and white, with a little casket in
her hand, stepped Virginia. In a moment they had all rushed up to
her. Mrs. Otis clasped her passionately in her arms, the Duke
smothered her with violent kisses, and the twins executed a wild
war-dance round the group.

'Good heavens! child, where have you been?' said Mr. Otis, rather
angrily, thinking that she had been playing some foolish trick on
them. 'Cecil and I have been riding all over the country looking
for you, and your mother has been frightened to death. You must