worth the consternation they
caused to Lady Gower.

The servant was uncertain whether Mr. Carroll was at home or not, but
Helen was too intent upon making restitution to wait for the fact to be
determined, and, running up the stairs, knocked sharply at the door of
his study.

A voice bade her come in, and she entered, radiant and smiling her
welcome. But Carroll was not there to receive it, and instead, Marion
Cavendish looked up at her from his desk where she was busily writing.
Helen paused with a surprised laugh, but Marion sprang up and hailed her
gladly. They met half way across the room and kissed each other with the
most friendly feeling.

Philip was out, Marion said, and she had just stepped in for a moment to
write him a note. If Helen would excuse her, she would finish it, as she
was late for rehearsal.

But she asked over her shoulder, with great interest, if Helen had
passed a pleasant summer. She thought she had never seen her looking so
well. Helen thought Miss Cavendish herself was looking very well also,
but Marion said no; that she was too sunburnt, she would not be able to
wear a dinner-dress for a month. There was a pause while Marion's quill
scratched violently across Carroll's note-paper. Helen felt that in some
way she was being treated as an intruder; or worse, as a guest. She did
not sit down, it seemed impossible to do so, but she moved uncertainly
about the room. She noted that there were many changes, it seemed more
bare and empty; her picture was still on the writing-desk, but there
were at least six new photographs of Marion. Marion herself had brought
them to the room that morning, and had carefully arranged them in
conspicuous places. But Helen could not know that. She thought there was
an unnecessary amount of writing scribbled over the face of each.

Marion addressed her letter and wrote "Immediate" across the envelope,
and placed it before the clock on the mantelshelf. "You will find Philip
looking very badly," she said, as she pulled on her gloves. "He has been
in town all summer, working very hard--he has had no holiday at all. I
don't think he's well. I have been a great deal worried about him," she
added. Her face was bent over the buttons of her glove, and when she
raised her blue eyes to Helen they were filled with serious concern.

"Really," Helen stammered, "I--I didn't know--in his letters he seemed
very cheerful."

Marion shook her head and turned and stood looking th