-law yet," Diane pleaded, as Miss Lucilla
was about to touch a bell. "I want to talk to you first, and tell you
things I couldn't say in writing."

Then the story was told again, and from still another point of view.
Once more Diane acknowledged the weaknesses of conduct she had confessed
already, but Miss Lucilla was a woman and understood her speech.

"I knew you'd believe in me," Diane said, half sobbing, as she ended her
tale. "I knew you'd understand that one can be a foolish woman without
having been a wicked one. Mr. Pruyn would not have been so hard on me if
he had thought of that."

"Shall I go and tell him?"

"No; it's too late. The wrong that's been done needs a more radical
remedy than you or I could bring to it. Bienville has lied, and I must
force him to retract. Nothing else can help me."

To poor Miss Lucilla this was a new and alarming feature in the
situation. If it was so, then Marion Grimston ought not to be allowed to
marry him. If Diane was right--and she must be right--Mrs. Bayford was
mistakenly urging on a match that would bring unhappiness to her niece.
This complication was almost more than Miss Lucilla's quietly working
intellect could seize, and she followed Diane's succeeding words with
but a wandering attention. She understood, however, that, next to being
justified by Bienville, Diane attached importance to the aid she
expected from Mrs. Eveleth. Hers was the only living voice that could
testify to the happy relations always existing between her son and his
wife. She could tell, and would tell, that George had fallen as the
champion of Diane's honor, and not as the victim of her baseness. If he
died it was because he believed in her, not because he was seeking the
readiest refuge from their common life. Diane would explain all to Mrs.
Eveleth, to whose loyalty she could trust, and on whose love she could
depend.

"I'll go and find her," Miss Lucilla said, rising. "You'd like to see
her alone?"

"No; I'd rather you were present. My troubles have got beyond the stage
of privacy. It's best that those who care for me should hear what can be
said in my defence."

Miss Lucilla went, and returned. A few minutes later Mrs. Eveleth could
be heard coming slowly down the stairs. But before she had time to enter
the room Derek Pruyn, using the privilege of a relative, walked in
without announcement.

XIII

If the morning had brought surprises to Miss Lucilla van Tromp, it had
no