that very moment Bella was sitting by the open piano in her cosy
apartments in a street off the Strand, idly striking a note here and
there and humming the air of a new song; but her cough, which was
incessant, made singing almost out of the question.

"I believe I'm getting worse," she cried, rising and flinging herself
on the sofa, "I'm sure I was not so bad as this three months ago--not
so bad when--he never came. Ah! why should he? How could I expect it?
Perhaps to-day may have been his wedding day! Come in."

The door opened noisily, and Saidie Blackall, very much over-dressed
and distinctly rouged and made up, entered, followed by Mr. and Mrs.
Doss, looking precisely the same as on that memorable night when they
had been the innocent cause of so much trouble to Bella's husband.
The old music-hall singer and his wife had lost no time in looking
her up when she returned from the States, and were really
well-meaning, kindly folk.

"Hallo, Bella, you look done up!"

"I am," admitted the girl wearily. "It was as much as I could do to
pull through to-night, and I have got a beastly new song to tackle."

"I don't like your cough, my dear," said Mrs. Doss, looking
distressed; "it shakes you to bits."

"I've got a little more cold, I fancy; but I'll be all right in a day
or two."

"You're not looking the thing--I saw you from the front
to-night--and--well, I guess it was a bit of a heffort to sing at
all, eh?"

Bella turned quickly and looked sharply into Mr. Doss's face.

"If you have got anything disagreeable to say, don't be afraid, out
with it. I suppose you have jumped to the notion that I'm dying?"

She tried to laugh, but it was a piteous attempt, and ended in a fit
of coughing which left her white and trembling in every limb.

"There, there!" cried Mrs. Doss, compassionately; "you must not
excite yourself; we will do the talking, and you keep quiet."

Bella lay back on her cushions, weak and exhausted, and when the
Dosses at length went away she gave a sigh of relief.

"What did they come for to-night?" she said thoughtfully.

"Well, Bella, Doss had heard a bit of bad news and thought it as well
to put you on your guard; but finding you like this put it out of his
head, I suppose."

"Bad news? What do you mean? He's not married, is he?"

Saidie stared at her.

"Not that I know of--why, he would have you to-morrow; you know that
as well as I do! you are treating him in a rough way; there's no
m