rming way of the other one, which you
know irresistably wins hearts," went on Mrs. Eveleigh; "he marched along
straight into the parlor and asked to see you, just as if he owned the
house and all that was in it. So he does own somebody in it, I am
afraid, poor child."

The girl's face was white, her violet eyes looked black and shadowed by
heavy lines.

"Is it--?" she began.

"Oh, yes, my dear, it is your husband. He has come to claim you, no
doubt. If he cannot get the wife he wants, he will have somebody at the
head of his table. And, then, my dear, you know you are an heiress, not
a person of no account."

"Nonsense," returned the other; "the marriage is not proven. He may have
come with news."

At this moment a servant brought up Archdale's card. On it he had
written a line begging to see her. Elizabeth showed it to her companion.

"See," she said, "you are mistaken. Probably we are free, and he wants
to tell me of it first,--first of anyone here, I mean. That is not
arbitrary, nor as you said, at all."

"Very well, dear; only, don't crow till you are out of the woods. Would
you like to have me receive him with you?"

Elizabeth hesitated.

"No. I thank you," she said. "You are very kind, but perhaps it would be
better to go by myself."

"As you like." And Mrs. Eveleigh's pride laid a strong hand upon her
swelling curiosity, so that with an indifference well acted she sat down
to her work. But as she lost the sound of Elizabeth's step on the stairs
she rose again and looked breathlessly over the banisters, trying to
catch the greeting that went on in the room below. But either through
accident, or because the girl knew the character of her companion, the
door closed behind Elizabeth, and Mrs. Eveleigh heard nothing. If she
had done so, the greeting was so simple that she would have gained from
it no clue of what was to follow. Archdale came forward, bowed low, and
held out his hand to her as simply as Katie's husband might have greeted
Katie's friend, and possibly have brought her some message. Elizabeth
felt this as she laid her hand in his for a moment, a smile of relief
and anticipation came over her face; and in reply to his question she
answered: "Yes, we are all well, thank you." It was after the first
moment that the embarrassment began, when at her look of hope and
questioning his eyes fell a moment, and when raised again gave no answer
to it. Both realized then how hard fate had been to them. Bu