nd his eyes were
dry and brilliant. Suddenly he moved forward, and clasped Adrea's
hands tightly in his.

"But, Adrea! are you sure that you love me?"

A sudden change swept into her face. Her dark eyes grew wonderfully
soft.

"Yes!" she answered, looking up to him with a swift, brilliant smile.
"I am sure!"

He held out his arms; his resistance was at an end. It had grown
weaker and weaker during those last few moments; now it was all over,
swept away by a sudden, tumultuous passion, so strange and little akin
to the man that it startled even himself. Afar off in his mind he was
conscious of a dim sense of shame as he held her close in his arms and
felt her warm, trembling lips pressed against his. But it was like an
echo from a distant land. It seemed to him that a deep, widening gulf
lay now between him and all that had gone before. His old self was
dead! A new man had sprung up, with a new personality, and the time
had not yet come for regrets.

CHAPTER XVI

"'TWIXT YOU AND ME A NOISOME SHADOW CAST"

"Adrea!"

It was a cry which seemed to ring through the room, an interruption
so sudden and strange that they started apart like guilty children,
gazing towards the lifted curtain which divided the apartment with
wondering, half-fearful faces. The woman whom Adrea had called her
step-mother stood there, pale and bloodless, with her great black eyes
flashing, and behind her a tall, dark figure was gazing sternly at
them.

Adrea was the first to recover her composure. She was a little further
away, and she could see only her step-mother.

"What do you want?" she exclaimed quickly. "I desire to be alone! Why
do you stand there?"

There was no answer. Then the momentary silence was broken by a quick,
startled cry from Paul, which seemed to cleave the semi-darkness of
the room.

"My God!"

The dark figure had moved forward, and was standing, pale and austere,
before them. It was Father Adrian.

There was a moment's intense silence. Then Paul turned swiftly round
to where Adrea stood, a little behind him. But the suspicions which
had commenced to crowd in upon him vanished before even they had taken
to themselves definite shape. Her surprise was as great as his; and,
as their eyes met, she shuddered with the memory which his presence
had recalled.

"Paul de Vaux, I had no thought of meeting you here," Father Adrian
said sternly.

Paul met his gaze haughtily. There was a rebuke, almost a threat