er handkerchief across her eyes, with a
gesture of childish misery, "it's all been a--a horrid mistake. Your
mother was quite right. Of course she hated your marrying me--and
now--now she'll see what I've done. I guess perfectly what she's
thinking about me to-day! And I can't help it--I shall go on--if you let
me stay with you. There's a twist--a black drop in me. I'm not like
other people."

Her voice, which was very quiet, gave Ashe intolerable pain.

"You poor, tired, starved child," he said, kneeling down beside her.
"Put your arms round my neck. Let me carry you up-stairs."

With a sob she did as she was told. Ashe's library a comparatively late
addition to the rambling, old-fashioned house, communicated by a small
staircase at the back with his dressing-room above. He lifted the small
figure with ease, and half-way up-stairs he impetuously kissed the
delicate cheek.

"I'm glad you're not Polly Lyster, darling!"

Kitty laughed through her tears. Presently he deposited her on the large
sofa in her own room, and stood beside her, panting a little.

"It's all very well," said Kitty, as she nestled down among the pillows,
"but we're <i>none</i> of us feathers!"

Her eyes were beginning to recover a little of their sparkle. She looked
at him with attention.

"You look horribly tired. What--what did you do--last night?" She turned
away from him.

"I sat up reading--then went to sleep down-stairs. I thought the coach
had come to grief, and you were somewhere with the Alcots."

"If I had known that," she murmured, "<i>I</i> might have gone to sleep. Oh,
it was so horrible--the little stuffy room, and the dirty blankets." She
gave a shiver of disgust. "There was a poor baby, too, with
whooping-cough. Lucky I had some money. I gave the woman a sovereign.
But she wasn't at all nice--she never smiled once. I know she thought I
was a bad lot."

Then she sprang up.

"Sit there!" She pointed to the foot of the sofa. Ashe obeyed her.

"When did you know?"

"About the ministry? Between six and seven. I saw Lady Parham afterwards
driving in St. James's Street. She never enjoyed anything so much in her
life as the bow she gave me.'"

Kitty groaned, and subsided again, a little crumpled form among her
cushions.

"Tell me the names."

Ashe gave her the list of the ministry. She made one or two shrewd or
bitter comments upon it. He fully understood that in her inmost mind she
was registering a vow of vengeance ag