A TERRIBLE AWAKENING For some time after his guests had retired, Hugh Mainwaring remained outside, walking up and down in the starlight, apparently absorbed in thought.

When at length he passed into the house, he met his secretary coming out for a solitary smoke.
"Come to my library, Mr.Scott, before you retire for the night," said Mr.Mainwaring.
"At once, sir, if you wish," the secretary replied.
"No, there is no hurry; any time within an hour," and he passed up-stairs.
Half an hour later Harry Scott passed down the corridor towards the library, but paused on hearing an angry voice within, which he at once recognized as Mrs.LaGrange's.
"Where would you be to-night ?" she cried, "where would you have been all these years, if I had but exposed your dishonesty and duplicity?
You defrauded your only brother during his lifetime; you have persistently ignored your son, your own flesh and blood; and now you would rob him, not only of his father's name, but of his father's fortune,--cast him off with a mere pittance,--and put this stranger in the place which is rightfully his, and wish that you had been given such a son as he! You are in my power, and you know it only too well; and I will make you and your high-born, purse-proud family rue this day's work." Hugh Mainwaring's reply to this tirade was inaudible, and Scott, feeling that he already had heard too much, withdrew, and continued walking up and down the halls until the library door opened and Mrs.
LaGrange came out.

She swept past him in a towering rage, seeming scarcely aware of his presence until, as he passed down the corridor and entered the library, he was suddenly conscious that she had turned and was watching him.
He found Mr.Mainwaring looking pale and fatigued.
"I will detain you but a moment, Mr.Scott," he said, speaking wearily; "I have a few instructions I would like you to carry out early in the morning; and I also want to say that I wish you to consider yourself as one of my guests to-morrow, and join with us in the festivities of the occasion." Scott thanked his employer courteously, though there might have been detected a shade of reserve in his manner, and, after receiving brief directions for the following day, withdrew.
He went to his room, but not to sleep.

His mind was too full of the events of the day just passed, as well as of the expected events of the morrow.

His thoughts reverted to his discovery of the afternoon, and, taking the shabby document from his pocket, he read and re-read it carefully, his features betraying deep emotion.