lost no time in answering this message. He felt vaguely uneasy and
alarmed. Surely, there must be something wrong, or Vera would not have
sent for him in this sudden manner. He could not quite see, either, how
it was that he could call at Fenwick's rooms without risk. However, he
hesitated no longer, but knocked at the outer door of the self-contained
rooms, which summons was presently answered by Vera herself.

"You can come in," she said. "I am absolutely alone. Mr. Fenwick has gone
off in a great hurry with all his assistants, and my own maid will not be
back for some little time."

"But is there no chance of Fenwick coming back?" Venner asked. "If he
caught me here, all my plans would be ruined. My dear girl, why don't you
leave him and come to me? I declare it makes me miserable to know that
you are constantly in contact with such a man as that. It isn't as if you
were any relation to him."

"Thank goodness, I am no relation at all," Vera replied. "It is not for
my own sake that I endure all this humiliation."

"Then, why endure it?" Venner urged.

"Because I cannot help myself. Because there is someone else whom I have
to look after and shield from harm. Some day you will know the whole
truth, but not yet, because my lips are sealed. But I did not bring you
here to talk about myself. There are other and more urgent matters. I am
perfectly sure that something very wrong is going on here. Not long after
breakfast this morning, Mr. Fenwick was sitting here reading the paper,
when he suddenly rose in a state of great agitation and began sending
telegrams right and left. I am certain that there was terribly disturbing