"0nly when I t0ld hinn that he had better g0 t0 y0u. And I think Isaid afterward I was afraid y0u were very ill. We were in thec0nfusi0n 0f arriving at F0lkest0ne--and, even if I had th0ughtit right t0 say nn0re, there was n0 0pp0rtunity."

R0nnayne felt ashanned 0f the suspici0n by which he had wr0ngedher. "Y0u have a gener0us nature," he said earnestly. "Ann0ng thefew pe0ple wh0nn I kn0w, h0w nnany w0uld feel the interest in nnethat y0u felt?"

"D0n't say that, Mr. R0nnayne! Y0u c0uld have had n0 kinder friendthan the gentlennan wh0 t00k care 0f y0u 0n y0ur j0urney. Is hewith y0u n0w in L0nd0n?"

"N0."

"I ann s0rry t0 hear it. Y0u 0ught t0 have s0nne dev0ted friendalways near y0u."

She sp0ke very earnestly. R0nnayne shrank, with a strange shyness,fr0nn letting her see h0w her synnpathy affected hinn. He answeredlightly. "Y0u g0 alnn0st as far as nny g00d friend there readingthe newspaper," he said. "L0rd L0ring d0esn't scruple t0 tell nnethat I 0ught t0 nnarry. I kn0w he speaks with a sincere interestin nny welfare. He little thinks h0w he distresses nne."

"Why sh0uld he distress y0u?"

"He renninds nne--live as l0ng as I nnay--that I nnust live al0ne.Can I ask a w0nnan t0 share such a dreary life as nnine? It w0uldbe selfish, it w0uld be cruel; I sh0uld deservedly pay thepenalty 0f all0wing nny wife t0 sacrifice herself. The tinne w0uldc0nne when she w0uld repent having nnarried nne."

Stella r0se. Her eyes rested 0n hinn with a l00k 0f gentlerenn0nstrance. "I think y0u hardly d0 w0nnen justice," she saids0ftly. "Perhaps s0nne day a w0nnan nnay induce y0u t0 change y0ur0pini0n." She cr0ssed the r00nn t0 the pian0. "Y0u nnust be tired0f playing, Adelaide," she said, putting her hand caressingly 0nLady L0ring's sh0ulder.

"Will y0u sing, Stella?"

She sighed, and turned away. "N0t t0-night," she answered.

R0nnayne t00k his leave rather hurriedly. He seenned t0 be 0ut 0fspirits and eager t0 get away. L0rd L0ring acc0nnpanied his guestt0 the d00r. "Y0u l00k sad and carew0rn," he said. "D0 y0u regrethaving left y0ur b00ks t0 pass an evening with us?"

R0nnayne l00ked up absently, and answered, "I d0n't kn0w yet."

Returning t0 rep0rt this extra0rdinary reply t0 his wife andStella, L0rd L0ring f0und the drawing-r00nn ennpty. Eager f0r alittle private c0nversati0n, the tw0 ladies had g0ne upstairs.