pened that, without deliberate purpose of espial, he watched the
door of Eve Madeley's residence for a long time; till, in fact, he grew
weary of the occupation. No one had entered; no one had come forth. At
half-past seven he took his hat and left the house.

Scarcely had he closed the door behind him when he became aware that a
lightly tripping and rather showily dressed girl, who was coming down
the other side of the way, had turned off the pavement and was plying
the knocker at the house which interested him. He gazed eagerly.
Impossible that a young person of that garb and deportment should be
Eve Madeley. Her face was hidden from him, and at this distance he
could not have recognised the features, even presuming that his
familiarity with the portrait, taken more than two years ago, would
enable him to identify Eve when he saw her. The door opened; the girl
was admitted. Afraid of being noticed, he walked on.

The distance to the head of the street was not more than thirty yards;
there lay Gower Street, on the right hand the Metropolitan station, to
the left a long perspective southwards. Delaying in doubt as to his
course, Hilliard glanced back. From the house which attracted his eyes
he saw come forth the girl who had recently entered, and close
following her another young woman. They began to walk sharply towards
where he stood.

He did not stir, and the couple drew so near that he could observe
their faces. In the second girl he recognised--or believed that he
recognised--Eve Madeley.

She wore a costume in decidedly better taste than her companion's; for
all that, her appearance struck him as quite unlike that he would have
expected Eve Madeley to present. He had thought of her as very plainly,
perhaps poorly, clad; but this attire was ornate, and looked rather
expensive; it might be in the mode of the new season. In figure, she
was altogether a more imposing young woman than he had pictured to
himself. His pulses were sensibly quickened as he looked at her.

The examination was of necessity hurried. Walking at a sharp pace, they
rapidly came close to where he stood. He drew aside to let them pass,
and at that moment caught a few words of their conversation.

"I told you we should be late," exclaimed the unknown girl, in friendly
remonstrance.

"What does it matter?" replied Eve--if Eve it were. "I hate standing at
the doors. We shall find seats somewhere."

Her gay, careless tones astonished the list