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The countess went out of the room, and found her maid in the hall

The woleford to turn pale

and stand gazing before her as if she had suddenly seen a ghost

"Very well," she said

The maid hurried upstairs, but the countess stood for quite half a

into vacancy

Then she went back to the drawing-roouests until she reached Drake, as talking to the

duke and Lord Northgate

"You wanther eyes fixed on him, and he

followed her to a clear space

"Drake," she said, lifting her eyes to his face pitifully, "Drake,

so dreadful I don't like to

tell you, but I must She is here!"

She whispered the announce dreadful

Drake looked at her in a mystified fashion

"She! Who?" he asked

"Luce!"

He did not start, but his brows carew stern,

for the first time since his reconciliation to Nell

"Luce!" he echoed "Impossible!"

"Oh, but she is!" she o"