ne of the new things she noted
in him.

'Very much as when you knew her,' he replied. 'Weaker, I fear. I have
just spent a few days at Agworth.'

Doubtless he had often been at Agworth; perchance he was there, so close
by, in some of the worst hours of her misery.

When the ladies withdrew Mrs. Boscobel seated herself by Adela for a
moment.

'So you really knew Mr. Eldon?'

'Yes, but it is some time since I saw him,' Adela replied simply,
smiling in the joy of being so entirely mistress of herself.

'You were talking pictures, I heard. You can trust him there; his
criticism is admirable. You know he did the Grosvenor for the--?'

She mentioned a weekly paper.

'There are so many things I don't know,' Adela replied laughingly, 'and
that is one of them.'

Hubert shortly after had his wish in being presented to Mrs. Westlake.
Adela observed them as they talked together. Gladness she could hardly
bear possessed her when she saw on Stella's face the expression of
interest which not everyone could call forth. She did not ask why she
was so glad; for this one evening it might be allowed her to rest and
forget and enjoy.

There was singing, and the sweetest of the songs went home with her and
lived in her heart all through a night which was too voiceful for sleep.
Might she think of him henceforth as a friend? Would she meet him again
before her return to--to the darkness of that ravaged valley? Her mood
was a strange one; conscience gave her no trouble, appeared suspended.
And why should conscience have interfered with her? Her happiness was as
apart from past and future as if by some magic she had been granted an
intermezzo of life wholly distinct from her real one. These people with
whom she found living so pleasant did not really enter her existence; it
was as though she played parts to give her pleasure; she merely looked
on for the permitted hour.

But Stella was real, real as that glorious star whose name she knew not,
the brightest she could see from her chamber window. To Stella her soul
clung with passion and worship. Stella's kiss had power to make her all
but faint with ecstasy; it was the kiss which woke her from her dream,
the kiss which would for ever be to her a terror and a mystery.

CHAPTER XXII

Her waking after a short morning sleep was dark and troubled. The taste
of last night's happiness was like ashes on her tongue; fearing to face
the daylight, she lay with lids heavily closed o