gave a quite unintentional superciliousness to his
expression. For an instant his eyes rested upon her, then they moved
away, without the slightest recognition, and wandered elsewhere.

Ethel's heart seemed turned to stone. He had seen her. He had not
noticed her. He had fixed his eyes on her and then looked away.
Bitter, indeed, was all this to her. To think that after so long a
period of waiting--after such hope and watching as hers had been--that
this should be the end. She turned away from the window, with a
choking sensation in her throat. No one was in the room. She was alone
with her thoughts and her tears.

Suddenly her mood changed. A thought came to her which dispelled her
gloom. The glance that he had given was too hasty; perhaps he really
had not fairly looked at her. No doubt he had come for her, and she
would shortly be summoned down.

And now this prospect brought new hope. Light returned to her eyes,
and joy to her heart. Yes, she would be summoned. She must prepare
herself to encounter his eager gaze. Quickly she stepped to the
mirror, hastily she arranged those little details in which consists
the charm of a lady's dress, and severely she scrutinized the face and
figure reflected there. The scrutiny was a satisfactory one. Face and
figure were perfect; nor was there in the world any thing more
graceful and more lovely than the image there, though the one who
looked upon it was far too self-distrustful to entertain any such idea
as that.

Then she seated herself and waited. The time moved slowly, indeed, as
she waited there. After a few minutes she found it impossible to sit
any longer. She walked to the door, held it open, and listened. She
heard his voice below quite plainly. They had two suits of rooms in
the house--the bedrooms up stairs and reception-rooms below. Here Lord
Hawbury was, now, within hearing of Ethel. Well she knew that voice.
She listened and frowned. The tone was too flippant. He talked like a
man without a care--like a butterfly of society--and that was a
class which she scorned. Here he was, keeping her waiting. Here he
was, keeping up a hateful clatter of small-talk, while her heart was
aching with suspense.

Ethel stood there listening. Minute succeeded to minute. There was no
request for her. How strong was the contrast between the cool
indifference of the man below, and the feverish impatience of that
listener above! A wild impulse came to her to go down, under the
pre