and faults of
others, I grew less careful--less critical myself. Then the family
lost its money. Oh, I haven't the poor excuse that I was in want--that
what I did was done from any lack of anything essential for myself or
others. Ours was just a commonplace, undramatic loss--with only need
for saving and retrenchment. Without the deprivation of a single
necessity, or comfort, even. Merely the absence of the luxuries. The
luxuries, though, in a way, had become necessities to me--and--I
found, by exercising my power, I could get much that I wished. I
flattered and cajoled to please people, so that they would do things
for me, give me things. That is ended----"

She pointed dramatically to a table.

"There is the fan from Bengy Wade in a package. To-morrow it goes back
to him. There is a note to Mrs. Grayson, declining her invitation. If
I go to Westbrook I shall not ride Persiflage. I have turned over a
new leaf. But the degradation of thinking of the record on the old
ones! If I could only tear them out instead of trying to fold them
down. I see it all now. He has made me see it all. He has made me
despise myself until I see the way I look in his eyes; until I seem
the same in my own. Janet, what can I do?"

The girl's head bent on the arm of the chair, as her body was shaken
with sobs. The other put out her hand and gently stroked her heavy
hair.

"Don't you exaggerate?"

"Did you," Miriam panted, "when you said what you did to Mr. Leeds?
Did you make my blackness less black than it should be--did you
concede to me any saving light?"

"I did not know. If I can do anything now----"

"You must not speak to him," Miriam cried, sitting up abruptly. "There
would be no use. When the seeds of distrust have been sown they will
grow, even if the weeds crowd out everything else."

"But weeds can be dug up."

"That must be my part," Miriam answered, more calmly. "Only one course
is left. It's funny," she smiled, swiftly, through her tears. "There
is poetic justice in it. I can do only one thing. It is my
retribution."

IV.

The announcement which Mrs. Gunnison made on the following morning
came as a surprise to Miriam. She had some difficulty in not
displaying an undue excitement. The habit of containment, which had
come with worldly experience, however, did not fail her. She heard her
hostess state that Arthur Leeds was coming to stay in the house
without any exhibition of visible emotion. Mrs. Gunnison said th