upright and forced a smile.

"What a jolly evening!" said Dick, with a deep sigh. "Don't wonder you
girls are so fond of parties."

"Yes," she said, with a brightness which deceived both of them, "it has
been very jolly. What a pretty girl that is with whom you were sitting
out, Dick!"

"I always thought you had great taste," he said approvingly. "She was
the nicest girl there--as I ventured to tell her."

Nell laughed--surely the hollowness of the laugh must strike them, she
thought--but neither of the two noticed its insincerity, and Dick
rattled on, suspecting nothing.

Drake sat almost silent. To be near her, to have her so close to him,
was all the sweeter after the hateful scene with Luce. Heaven! how
different was this love of his to that other woman from whom he had
escaped! It was a terrible word, but it was the only fitting one to his
mind.

He would tell Nell in the morning. Yes, he would tell Nell who he was,
and--and--of his engagement to Luce. It would be an unpleasant, hateful
story, but he would tell it. There had been too much concealment, too
much deceit; he had been a fool to yield to the temptation to hide his
identity; he would make a clean breast of it to-morrow. Once he
stretched out his hand in the direction of hers, but Nell, though her
eyes were not turned in his direction, saw the movement, and quickly
removed her hand beyond his reach.

The fly drew up at The Cottage, and Dick jumped out and opened the door
with his key, and purposely went straight into the house. As Drake
helped Nell out, she drew her hand away to gather up her dress, and went
quickly into the little hall, and he followed her.

Her heart beat fast and painfully. She felt as if she could not lift her
eyes; as if she were the guilty one. Would he--would he attempt to kiss
her? Oh, surely, surely not! He could not be so false. She held out her
hand.

"I am so sleepy," she said. "Good night!"

He looked at her as he held her hand, and at that moment the kiss which
Luce had taken burned like fire upon his lips. He shrank from touching
the pure lips of the girl he loved while the other woman's kiss still
lingered on his consciousness. It would be desecration.

"You are all right now--not faint?" he said; and there was a troubled
expression in his face and voice.

Nell thought she could read his mind, and knew the reason of his
hesitation. A few hours ago he would have lost no time in catching her
to his heart. But