had quoted as they came from Mrs. Haddon; but what could those words
have to do with his sudden acceptance of Lord Earlscourt's invitation to
go to Norway?

She made up her mind that it was nothing to her what course Herbert
Courtland had pursued, consequently the endeavors to fathom his reason
for adopting such a course would be wholly profitless. But the question
of the singular moods suggested by the conduct and the words of her
friend Ella Linton stood on a very different basis. Ella was her dearest
friend, and nothing that she had said or done should be dismissed as
profitless.

What on earth had Ella meant by appearing in that wonderful costume that
night? It was not a toilet for the opera, even on a Melba night; even on
a "Romeo and Juliet" night, unless, indeed, the wearer meant to appear
on the stage as _Juliet_, was the thought which occurred to the girl.
Her fantastic thought--she thought it was a fantastic thought--made her
smile. Unless----

And then another thought came to her which, not being fantastic,
banished her smile.

_Unless_----

She got to her feet--very slowly--and walked very slowly--across
the room. She seated herself on the sofa where Ella had sat, and she
remained motionless for some minutes. Then she made a motion with one
of her hands as if sweeping from before her eyes some flimsy
repulsiveness--the web of an unclean thing flashing in the air. In
another instant she had buried her face in the pillow that still bore
the impress of Ella's face.

"Oh, God--my God, forgive me--forgive me--forgive me!" was her silent,
passionate prayer as she lay there sobbing. "How could I ever have such
a thought, so terrible a thought. She is my friend--my sister--and she
put herself into her husband's arms and kissed him! Oh, God, forgive
me!"

That was her prayer for the greater part of the night as she lay in her
white bed.

She felt that she had sinned grievously in thought against her friend,
when she recalled the way in which her friend had thrown herself into
the arms of her husband. That was the one action which the girl felt
should entitle Ella Linton to be the subject of no such horrid thought
as had been for a shocking instant forced upon her mind, when she
reflected upon the strange passion which had tingled through Ella's
repetition of the fiery words of _Juliet_.

She recalled every strange element in the incident of Ella's appearance
in the drawing room: the way in which Ella had