abius he struck.

"I have been so completely out of the world--out of my own world--for
the last month that I know nothing. Didn't even have my letters sent
on."

"Fancy!" said Lady Claudia.

"I wish I had now."

Claudia was meant to say "Why?" She didn't, so he had to make the
connection for himself.

"I found one letter waiting for me that was most important."

"Yes?" said Claudia, with polite but obviously fatigued interest.

"It was from Miss Bernard."

"Fancy not having her letters sent on!"

"You know what was in that letter, Lady Claudia?"

"Oh, yes; Rickmansworth told me. I don't know if he ought to have. I am
so very sorry, Mr. Lane."

"From not getting the letter, I didn't know for a month that I was free.
I needn't shrink from calling it freedom."

"As you were in America, it couldn't make much difference whether you
knew or not."

"I want you to know that I didn't know."

"Really you are very kind."

"I was afraid you would think--"

"Pray, what?" asked Claudia, in suspiciously calm tones.

Eugene was conscious he was not putting it in the happiest possible way;
however, there was nothing for it but to go on now.

"Why, that--why, Claudia, that I shouldn't rush to you the moment I was
free."

Claudia was sitting on a sofa, and as he said this Eugene came up and
leant his hands on the back of it. He thought he had done it rather well
at last. To his astonishment, she leapt up.

"This is too much!" she cried.

"Why, what?" exclaimed poor Eugene.

"To come and tell me to my face that you're afraid I've been crying for
you for a month past!"

"Of course I don't mean--"

"Do I look very ill and worn?" demanded Claudia, with elaborate sarcasm.
"Have I faded away? Make your mind easy, Mr. Lane. You will not have
another girl's death at your door."

Eugene so far forgot himself as to stare at the ceiling and exclaim,
"Good God!"

This appeared to add new fuel to the flame.

"You come and tell a girl--all but in words tell her--she was dying for
love of you when you were engaged to another girl; dying to hear from
you; dying to have you propose to her! And when she's mildly indignant
you use some profane expression, just as if you had stated the most
ordinary facts in the world! I am infinitely obliged for your
compassion, Mr. Lane."

"I meant nothing of the sort. I only meant that considering what had
passed between us--"

"Passed between us?"

"Well, yes at Millstead, you