for ten, twenty years, might even die there, and no one be the wiser. She shuddered as she dressed herself; but with the courage that was her heritage, the courage that had enabled her father to rule over half a million natives, she resolved to utter no moan, to accept the inevitable and reserve her strength and energy for the opportunity of escape, if opportunity offered itself.

When she had dressed herself she knocked loudly on the door, and Mrs. Lambert came up and opened it. Kyra met her calmly and even cheerfully-for, at any rate, Stracey was not here, and her keeper was a woman, and evidently an honest one.

"Oh, you're dressed! Breakfast's ready. I hope you've had a good night, miss, and that you're feeling better?" "Oh, yes," said Kyra, forcing a smile. That is, I am as well as usual."

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Mrs. Lambert regarded her with professional keenness, and led the way down-stairs to the dining-room. Breakfast was laid, and Kyra tried to eat as if she had some appetite.

"What am I to do with myself all day?" she asked, with an affectation of ease.

"Oh, you can go out in the garden with me or you can read; and there's fancy work such as ladies like you are fond of."

Kyra laughed.

"Fancy work!" she said, with good-natured contempt. "I don't know any, but I should like some books; and, better still, I should like the garden. It looks dreadfully neglected. Why is that?"

Mrs. Lambert pondered for a moment; then she said:

"Well, you see, your good guardian and future husband" -Kyra shut her teeth hard--was naturally averse to putting you in a private asylum-they're very trying, some of themand hit upon this place by accident. It's been to let for some time, and it's a bit neglected, as you say, miss; but he don't want a license here. You see, there's nobody to know you're insane-I beg your pardon, miss; I mean, taken up with fancies."

"I see," said Kyra. "I should like to go into the garden." They went into it presently. Mrs. Lambert paused at the kennel, and loosened the bull-dog.

"Stand back, miss, please," she said, significantly. "He's rather rough and dangerous; especially if anyone was to attempt to climb the walls, miss. He's a trained dog, miss.'

The dog, when he was free from the chain at which he was

straining, dashed at Kyra; but she held her ungloved hand down to him and he sniffed at it, at first, suspiciously and then with an air of satisfaction, and wound up with licking it and pawing at her skirt.

Mrs. Lambert looked on with some surprise.

"I thought he was very fierce," she said. "Mr. Froyte said as I was to be careful with him."

"I am fond of dogs," said Kyra, taking the dog's black muzzle in her hand and pressing it into a ball. "I am never afraid of them."

"Well, now, I am all of a tremble, even when I am feeding him," said Mrs. Lambert.

"I am not afraid of him," said Kyra; "you must let me feed him; it will be something to do."

"Very well, miss," assented Mrs. Lambert; "but don't you think of getting over the walls. He's trained to stop that, as I say.

Kyra glanced at the high brick obstruction between her and freedom.

"I have not been thinking of it, Mrs. Lambert. When I leave here, it will be of your free-will and permission."

Kyra remained in the garden for the best part of the day, and the bull-dog stuck close to her heels all the time. It seemed to her that even if she attempted to climb the walls, he would not interfere. Slowly she paced the weed-grown paths, thinking of her fate, of Stracey's elaborate villainyalmost grotesque and impossible in this twentieth century-of her strange marriage with Lance le Breton. She had wronged him, entrapped him by her appeal to his chivalry, and this was her punishment. Yes; it was meet and fitting.

Mrs. Lambert-her keeper-called her and she entered the house and ate some food; then she begged to be allowed to go into the garden again, and, Mrs. Lambert permitting, she wandered about until dusk.

66 Are you still obdurate, determined?" she asked, as Mrs. Lambert helped her to undress that night.

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"If you mean am I determined to earn my wages, and look after you, miss: yes," responded Mrs. Lambert. "But I don't think I shall occupy this situation long, you seem such a sensible young lady, not to say pleasant. Why, the way that dog has taken a fancy to you is extraordinary: he won't let other strangers come near him!"

CHAPTER XXIV.

SEVERAL days passed and they were all of this pattern: a trying one for a girl in Kyra's position. But she was determined to meet the situation with an unwavering patience; and with the aid of Turk and some books which Mrs. Lambert discovered in an old box in one of the disused rooms, she beguiled the weary hours. And one fact helped her to bear her imprisonment: the absence of Stracey. To her usual dislike and distrust of the man was now added, and with reason, a loathing and dread; for to what lengths might not such a man be driven by his evil passion and utter unscrupulousness?

But the consolation of his absence was to be denied her, for one afternoon, as she was sitting under one of the old trees trying to fix her attention on her book-a volume of old plays -Mrs. Lambert ran out of the house to her.

"Here's your guardian, miss!" she said. "Now, now!" she exclaimed, soothingly, for the blood had rushed to Kyra's face and then left it pale to the lips. "You've no call to be upset or to be afraid; he's so anxious about you, and I told him you were better, oh, ever so much better; so try and be cheerful, and-and kind to him. There's no call to be excited or

Kyra made no response, but waited, her eyes fixed steadily on Stracey as he came down the path, treading with his light step, which had always seemed to Kyra to have something stealthy and feline in it.

"Well, my dear Kyra!" he said, in a tone of affectionate sadness, intended to reach Mrs. Lambert, as she discreetly disappeared.

Then he stopped opposite her and looked at her under his half-lowered lids. The imprisonment, and the excitement, and wear and tear of spirit and nerve it had produced, had already set its mark upon her, and she looked wan and pale; but though she shuddered at his presence, she regarded him steadily with an expression of scorn and loathing, from which most men would have quailed. But Stracey and conscience had long since parted company, and, though his lids drooped a little lower, his eyes met hers with something like triumph and callous satisfaction.

Turk had uttered a low growl of anger and dislike, and would have sprung upon the intruder, but Kyra caught him by the collar and held him.

"So you have made friends," said Stracey, as if he had only been absent a few hours, and they were meeting again ander quite ordinary circumstances. "A very fine dog. I had a wonderful pedigree with him-good dog, then! Good dog!"

But Turk refused to be pacified, even though the voice was smooth and soft, and Kyra had hard work to hold him.

"Better chain him up," said Stracey. "He will interrupt our conversation, Kyra."

Kyra ignored the request and pressed Turk closer to her. "Why are you keeping me here, a prisoner, Stracey?" she said, as calmly as she could, but her voice shook a little with indignation. Why have you told the woman that I am mad?"

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He smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Isn't that rather an exaggeration, my dear Kyra?" he said; but Kyra broke in with scornful impatience:

"Oh, please do not repeat the cruel fiction with which you. have imposed upon her. I am not quite mad, you have told her, but the victim of an hallucination, of strange fancies.' Oh, yes, she has explained it all to me; and I do not want to hear it again. It is a wicked and a cruel lie. What I ask you is: Why have you done it? Why have you brought me here and are keeping me here? What is your object?"

"Your welfare, my dear Kyra, your welfare!" he said, suavely. "You were not at all well at Holmby; your health, never very robust, was sadly deteriorating, and your nervesah, yes, your nervous condition caused us all serious concern. It was thought wise to remove you to a more bracing climate -you find this air peculiarly bracing, do you not? Blowing across these marshes," he smiled sardonically; "and the repose, the quietude of your present abode-you appreciate the quiet and serenity of your surroundings, no doubt?"

Kyra's face flushed hotly under the subtle and hideous mockery of his affectation of concern and anxiety, but she remained silent, and waited.

"Does Mr. Froyte, Mrs. Froyte, know that you have brought me here, that I am detained by your orders, in a—a mad-house; for you have made it that?"

"Their cognisance or ignorance is of little importance," he replied. "That which is of importance is the hope that the change of air and scene may produce a beneficial change in your feelings, sentiments," he said, smoothly.

Kyra had determined that, if he came, she would keep her

self well in hand, and retain her calmness and self-possession.

"What change did you expect, hope for?" she asked.

"An alteration in your sentiments regarding myself, my dear Kyra," he replied, with a faint smile. "I am convinced that your refusal to be my wife was caused by the condition of your health. To be quite frank and candid, you have been suffering from hysteria for some time past. It is a form of insanity-do not be alarmed; it is seldom permanent, and even the most serious cases are cured by proper treatment, by perfect quiet and rest-"

"By imprisonment in a half-ruined house surrounded by a waste of marshes; with no companions but-a keeper and a dog!" Kyra broke out for a moment, her eyes flashing, her proud lips quivering; but she regained her self-possession in a minute or two, and, looking at him steadily, went on: "You have succeeded in entrapping me, in dragging me here, and have succeeded in keeping me for some days; but do you think you can continue to do so? Any day, any moment, I may find some means of communicating with the outside world, I may be able to inform someone of the cruel trick you have played me, of the fact that I-perfectly sane, and my own mistress-am imprisoned here. This is not the middle ages, but the twentieth century, Stacey; and it is you who are mad to imagine that you can detain me here for any length of time. And it is only fair to warn you, to tell you that the moment I have escaped I shall seek the protection of the law which you have outraged. I warn you!"

"My dear, poor Kyra," he murmured, soothingly. "Don't you see that this very warning, as you call it, would, if I were as hard-hearted as you imagined me, only make me the more determined to-well, to prevent your escape? But, indeed, you forget the natural reluctance of the public to interfere in a case of lunacy. No, believe me, your only chance of leaving this pleasant retreat is in your own hands. You have only to recover from the hysteria from which you have been suffering and consent to-to take a proper view of life and its responsibilities-”

"I do not understand," she interrupted, scornfully. Speak plainly. You cannot deceive me, Stracey, by a string of meaningless words. What is it you want of me? With what object have you shut me up here?"

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My only and most ardent desire is to see you restored to health and the full possession of your senses. That you had lost them-only temporarily, I hope and trust, my dear Kyra