of azure eyes
under golden lashes, by the sway of her shoulders as she paced the
terrace, by the nervous tapping of her slippered foot at certain times
in the intervals of table chat--that Cora was _thinking_. And when
Cora thought, something was about to happen.

It was in obedience to one of those swift side glances, that he
followed her from the morning room, one forenoon about three weeks
after the news of Madeline's death had come to them. The day was
bright but chill, and the woman had wrapped herself in a shawl of
vivid crimson, but stood with bared head in the sunlight waiting the
approach of her counterfeit brother.

"Cover your head, you very thoughtless woman," was his brotherly
salutation as he approached, plunging about in his pockets in search
of a cigar the while.

"Bother!" she ejaculated, tossing her golden locks; "my hair needs a
sunbath. I only wish I dare indulge myself further! If you had any
heart you wouldn't torture me so constantly with the odor of those
magnificent Havanas, when you know how my very soul longs for a weed!"

"Poor little woman," laughing maliciously; "fancy Mrs. John Arthur of
Oakley smoking a _Perique_! Isn't it prime, Co.?" puffing out a cloud
of perfumed smoke.

"Prime! bah! I'd like to strangle you, or--"

"Or?--" inquiringly.

"Somebody," laughing nervously.

"Just so; Miss Arthur would be a good subject and that would confer a
favor on me, too, by Jove!"

"I don't want to confer a favor on you. You had much better try and do
me one, I think."

"With all my heart, taking my ability for granted, of course; only
tell me how."

Cora shrugged her crimson-clad shoulders, and they paced forward in
silence for a time. Then as if his stillness had been speech of a
distasteful kind, she ejaculated, crossly, and without turning her
head: "Stuff! you talk too much!"

Lucian smiled maliciously, removed his cigar from between his lips,
described a smoke wreath in mid-air, replaced his weed, and said: "Do
I? then mum's the word;" and he relapsed into silence.

He seemed bent on annoying her, for there was a laughing glimmer in
his eye, and he obstinately refused to attempt to draw her out, and so
make easier whatever she might have to say, for he knew that she had
signaled him out to-day for a purpose.

Mutely he walked by her side, and contentedly puffed at his cigar
until, at length, she turned upon him, and struck petulantly at the
hand that had just removed it fro