meeting.

This situation did not displease Ensal altogether. He felt that so long
as Tiara did not and would not take more than a passing interest in him,
he could continue to keep in abeyance that grave question as to whether,
in view of the drift of things, a young Negro, absorbed as he was in
the question of the condition of the race, should form family ties. So
he journeyed along cherishing an ever-increasing attachment, but content
for the present to worship her at a distance.

Mrs. Crawford, with all her quietness, was an exceedingly wise woman.
She did not know exactly what it was, but she knew as well as did Ensal
and Tiara that there was an artificial barrier between them. She also
knew that if ever a man loved a woman, Ensal was in love with Tiara. And
she knew more. She knew that Tiara was self-deceived; that Tiara herself
would be the most astonished person imaginable when she awoke to find
out how much she really cared for Ensal.

Mrs. Crawford knew Ensal's reasons for hesitating to form family ties,
but did not regard them as substantial. She was determined that Ensal
and Tiara should marry; her whole heart was set upon the project. Never
in her whole life had she met a couple more clearly designed for each
other than this pair, as she viewed the matter. She knew how firm of
mind both Ensal and Tiara were and how useless it would be to attempt to
talk to either of them. In view of the secret barrier, Tiara would have
given her to understand that the matter was not worthy of a second's
consideration. As for Ensal he could not have been brought to think that
Tiara came any nearer being in love with him than with the rankest
stranger, for in all their conversations, not being settled upon the
question of marriage, as a matter of honor he had neither sought to
develop nor to test the strength of Tiara's regard for himself.

Mrs. Crawford felt fully justified under the circumstances in forcing
matters to an issue. She perceived that to do this involved a great
sacrifice on her part, the temporary loss of Tiara's friendship; but she
decided that the purchase was worthy of the price.

One night as Tiara was about to retire to rest, Mrs. Crawford dropped
into her room for one of their customary chats. After talking on various
topics she brought the subject around to Ensal.

"Now there is a young man that inspires many people with contempt," said
Mrs. Crawford, in a manner to suggest that she, too, was one of