a man who
had been up all night. Alert, active, tough as wire, he walked back to
the table and gathered together his letters. A faint feeling of
admiration stirred in her heart. His, strength appealed to her for the
first time.

"I should like to drive into the City with you," she said, after a
pause.

He gave her a sharp glance.

"I thought you would be wanting to go to the bank," he remarked coolly.

She flushed and turned her back upon him. It was an unprovoked assault,
and she resented it fiercely.

When they met again an hour later she was on the defensive, ready to
resist his keenest thrust, and, seeing it, he laughed cynically.

"Armed to the teeth?" he asked, with a careless glance at her slim
figure and delicate face.

She did not answer him by so much as a look. He handed her into the car
and took his seat beside her.

"Can you manage to dine out with some of your people to-night?" he
asked. "I am afraid I shall not be home till late."

"You seem to have a great deal on your hands," she remarked coldly.

"Yes," said Wingarde.

It was quite obvious that he had no intention of taking her into his
confidence, and Nina was stubbornly determined to betray no interest.
Then and there she resolved that since he chose to give himself up
entirely to the amassing of wealth, not hesitating to slight his wife in
the process, she also would live her separate life wholly independent of
his movements.

She pretended to herself that she would make the most of it. But deep in
her heart she hated him for thus setting her aside. His action pierced
straight through her pride to something that sheltered behind it, and
inflicted a grevious wound.

V

A STRUGGLE FOR MASTERY

"Jove! Here's a crush!" laughed Archie Neville. "Delighted to meet you
again, Mrs. Wingarde! How did you find the Lakes?"

His good-looking, boyish face was full of pleasure. He had not expected
to meet her. Nina's welcoming smile was radiant.

"Oh, here you are, Archie!" she exclaimed, as they shook hands. "Someone
said you were out of town, but I couldn't believe anything so tragic."

"Quite right," said Archie. "Never believe the worst till there is
positively no alternative. I'm not out of town, and I'm not going to be.
It's awfully nice to see you again, you know! I thought the sun had set
for the rest of the season."

Nina uttered a gay little laugh.

"Oh, dear, no! We certainly intended to stay longer, but Hereford was