appened, and still kept hoping all sorts of
impossible things as she sat by her window.

It was ten o'clock when Spencer went away and Vivienne LeMar passed
up the hall to her room. Estella clenched her hands in an access of
helpless rage. She was very angry, but under her fury was a horrible
ache of pain. It could not be only three hours since she had been so
happy! It must be more than that! What had happened? Had she made a
fool of herself? Ought she to have behaved in any other way? Perhaps
Spencer had come out to look for her after she had gone upstairs and,
not finding her, had gone back to Miss LeMar to show her he was angry.
This poor hope was a small comfort. She wished she had not acted as
she had. It looked spiteful and jealous, and Spencer did not like
people who were spiteful and jealous. She would show him she was sorry
when he came back, and it would be all right.

She lay awake most of the night, thinking out plausible reasons and
excuses for Spencer's behaviour, and trying to convince herself that
she had exaggerated everything absurdly. Towards morning she fell
asleep and awoke hardly remembering what had happened. Then it rolled
back upon her crushingly.

But she rose and dressed in better spirits. It had been hardest to lie
there and do nothing. Now the day was before her and something
pleasant might happen. Spencer might come back in the evening. She
would be doubly nice to him to make up.

Mrs. Bowes looked sharply at her niece's dull eyes and pale cheeks at
the breakfast table. She had her own thoughts of things. She was a
large, handsome woman with a rather harsh face.

"Did you go upstairs last night and leave Spencer Morgan with Miss
LeMar?" she asked bluntly.

"Yes," muttered Estella.

"Did you have a quarrel with him?"

"No."

"What made you act so queer?"

"I couldn't help it," faltered the girl.

The food she was eating seemed to choke her. She wished she were a
hundred miles away from everyone she ever knew.

Mrs. Bowes gave a grunt of dissatisfaction.

"Well, I think it is a pretty queer piece of business. But if you are
satisfied, it isn't anyone else's concern, I suppose. He stayed with
her till ten o'clock and when he left she did everything but kiss
him--and she asked him to come back too. I heard."

"Aunt!" protested the girl.

She felt as if her aunt were striking her blow after blow on a
sensitive, quivering spot. It was bad enough to know it all, but to
hear i