t of some deep emotion, and Sir Archie was talking
in a low, and, for him, eager tone.

As Nell entered, Lady Wolfer rose quickly, and Sir Archie, fumbling at
his eyeglass, looked for the moment somewhat disconcerted.

"If we're goin' to this place, hadn't we better go?" he said, with his
usual drawl; and Lady Wolfer, murmuring an assent, left the room. Nell,
following her to her room to ask a question about the dinner party, was
surprised and rather alarmed at finding her pale and trembling.

"Oh, what is the matter?" Nell asked. "Are you ill?"

"No, oh, no! It is nothing," Lady Wolfer replied hastily. "Where is my
hat? No, don't ring for my maid. Help me--you help me----"

She let her hand rest for a moment on Nell's arm, and looked into her
grave eyes wistfully.

"Were you--were you ever in trouble, Nell?" she asked. "I mean a great
trouble, which threatened to overshadow your life--not a death; that is
hard enough to fight, but--how foolishly I am talking! And how white you
have gone! Why, child, you can't know anything of such trouble as I
mean! What is it?" she broke off, as the maid knocked at the door and
entered.

"The phaeton is ready, my lady; and Sir Archie says are you going to
drive, or is he? because, if so, he will change his gloves, so as not to
keep your ladyship waiting."

"I don't care--oh, he can drive," said Lady Wolfer. She spoke as if the
message, acting as a kind of reminder, had helped her to recover her
usual half-careless, half-defiant mood. "About this dinner, Nell; will
you ask Lord Wolfer if there is any one he would like asked, and add
them to the list? Where did I leave it? Oh, it's in the library."

Nell went down for it, and, as she opened the door, Sir Archie came
forward with an eager and anxious expression on his handsome face--an
expression which changed to one of slight embarrassment as he saw that
it was Nell.

"The list? Ah, yes; here it is. I'm afraid it's not fully made out; but
there's plenty of time. Is Lady Wolfer nearly ready?"

Nell went away with a vague feeling of uneasiness. Had Lady Wolfer been
telling Sir Archie of her "trouble"? If so, why did she not tell her
husband? But perhaps she had.

Nell had no time to dwell upon Lady Wolfer's incoherent speech, for the
coming dinner party provided her with plenty to think about. She had
hoped that she herself would not be expected to be present, but when on
the following evening she expressed this hope, Lady W