ld
lady's hands.

The old lady coughed slightly. "Thank you, my dear. I dare say _you_
have thought it strange. We are such a friendly little community here;
and if Mrs. Tailleur had been at all possible----"

"I believe," said Miss Keating, "she is very well connected. Lord
Matcham is a most intimate friend of hers."

"That doesn't speak very well for Lord Matcham, I'm afraid."

"I wish," said Miss Keating, "you would be frank with me."

"I should like to be, my dear."

"Then, please--if there's anything you think I should be told--tell me."

"I think you ought to be told that we all are wondering a little at your
being seen with Mrs. Tailleur. You are too nice, if I may say so, and
she is--well, not the sort of person you should be going about with."

Miss Keating's mouth opened slightly.

"Do you know anything about her?"

"I know less than you do. I'm only going by what Colonel Hankin says."

"Colonel Hankin?"

"Mrs. Hankin, I should say; of course I couldn't speak about Mrs.
Tailleur to _him_."

"Has he ever met her?"

"Met her? In society? My dear!--he has never met her anywhere."

"Then would he--would he really know?"

"It isn't only the Colonel. All the men in the hotel say the same thing.
You can see how they stare at her."

"Oh, those men!"

"You may depend upon it, they know more than we do."

"How can they? How--how do they tell?"

"I suppose they see something."

Miss Keating saw it, too. She shuddered involuntarily. Her knees shook
under her. She sat down.

"I'm sure I don't know what it is," said the old lady.

"Nor I," said Miss Keating faintly.

"They say you've only got to look at her----"

A dull flush spread over Miss Keating's face. She was breathing hard.
Her mouth opened to speak; a thick sigh came through it, but no words.

"I've looked," said the old lady, "and I can't see anything about her
different from other people. She dresses so quietly; but I'm told they
often do. They're very careful that we shouldn't know them."

"They? Oh, you don't mean that Mrs. Tailleur--is----"

"I'm only going by what I'm told. Mind you, I get it all from Mrs.
Hankin."

Miss Keating, who had been leaning forward, sat suddenly bolt upright.
Her whole body was shaking now. Her voice was low but violent.

"Oh--oh--I knew it--I knew. I always felt there was something about
her."

"I'm sure, my dear, you didn't _know_."

"I didn't. I didn't think it was that; I only thought sh