Mr. Whitney, on the other hand, though a frequent visitor at Fair Oaks, and familiar with the fascinating manner with which, when she chose, Mrs. LaGrange entertained the guests of Hugh Mainwaring, was now forced to acknowledge to himself that never had he seen this handsome woman so beautiful as at the present moment.  The eyes looking into his with such depth of meaning, — the expression, the attitude, — all were utterly unlike anything which he had ever seen; but his face grew only the more stern, for the thought then and there occurred to him that perhaps here was the solution of the mysterious power which this woman had wielded over the man whose lifeless form was now lying in their presence.

He observed that the luminous eyes grew suddenly cold, while her head assumed its usual haughty poise; the brief spell was over, and each understood the other.

After a few general directions, Mr. Whitney remarked, “This day’s events will be far different from what we had anticipated.”

“Yes,” she replied, with a mocking smile, “in that it brings to the guests of this house, instead of future expectations, the immediate realization of their wishes!”

“It is not to be conceived for one moment that any of them take that view of what has occurred,” he replied, in a tone of displeasure.

“Possibly not,” she rejoined, “although the prospective long life of their host seemed to greatly detract, at least in the case of one of their number, from their enjoyment of the occasion which they had come to celebrate.”

“To whom do you refer?” he inquired.

“It is unnecessary to give names,” she answered, coldly; “but had the Mainwarings of London known the facts which I know, they would never have crossed the water to take part in the farce which was enacted here yesterday.  There are Mainwarings with better right and title to this estate than they, as they will soon learn.”

Neither by look nor gesture did she manifest the least consciousness of, or concern for, the inanimate form visible in the adjoining room.  With sudden directness, and ignoring the implied threat in her last words, Mr. Whitney asked,-

“Mrs. LaGrange, at what hour did you last see Hugh Mainwaring?”

She was about to reply, when Scott entered from the tower-room.  He had heard her last remark, and his dark, piercing eyes were fixed upon her face in keen scrutiny.  She was quick to note the fact and hesitated an instant, while a change, inexplicable to the attorney, passed over her face, — surprise, a shade almost of fear, and haughty defiance were visible in quick succession; then, turning again towards Mr. Whitney, she answered, indifferently,-

“It was quite late last night; I do not recollect the hour.”

As the attorney was about to speak, Mr. Thornton appeared at the door of the library.

“Beg pardon, Mr. Whitney, but I believe the coroner and others have arrived; as you know the gentlemen, will you kindly meet them?”