at will reach me at any time, but we may be observed by that
fellow who is coming. I will send you by mail a card containing the
address. Pray call upon me if you need my aid. I hope Belknap will find
your robbers, but you were wise not to tell him that you had saved your
diamonds. Keep your counsel on that subject always, Miss Wardour, it
will save you trouble. And now you had better move on. I intend to
follow and overtake your two departing guests."

He turned carelessly away as he spoke, and Constance, after a pretense
of examining the shrubbery, faced about and walked a few paces down the
path, then lifting her eyes carelessly, they fell upon the intruder.
Uttering a low ejaculation of surprise, she hastened toward him.

"Evan! why Evan!" she cried, anxiously. "You look ghostly, and you must
be in trouble."

[Illustration: "Why, Evan, you look ghostly!"]

"Or I would not be here," said Evan Lamotte, bitterly. "Evan, the
ne'er-do-well, does not seek his friends when the sun shines. Eh, Conny?
Don't go in," laying one hand upon her arm, as she was about to turn
toward the house, "I--I came to talk with you."

"But you will come in, Evan?"

"No, I should fall out with your old cat--I beg pardon, Con., I mean
your old aunt, directly."

"Aunt Honor shut herself in her own room an hour ago, child; she has
been worn out with too much excitement. We have had a detective here all
the morning, not to mention Frank, who has made a wonderful discovery."

"I dare say," muttered the young fellow, dryly, "Frank will make another
wonderful discovery soon. Conny," clutching at her arm again, "_have you
heard_?"

"Have I heard what, Evan?"

"About Sybil--my sister," his voice broke, ending in a sob.

"Yes, Evan," she replied, very gently, "I have heard."

It was noticeable, the difference between her treatment of this younger
brother of Sybil Lamotte and the one who had just gone.

With Francis she had preserved, even while her heart was full of
sympathy and pity for his trouble, a certain dignity even in her
kindness, an arm's length repellant stateliness, that galled and
tormented the ardent, impulsive, and too eager young man. With Evan she
was all pity, all sympathy, full of familiar sisterly kindness and
patience.

Women are strange creatures; we may be as handsome as the Apollo, and
they will steel their hearts against us. If we would have the
confidence, the caresses, the tenderest love of a pitying woman, we