he drew near. But what should he say to
her? Commonplaces? He went on.

Elizabeth happened to go to the window as Archdale was disappearing down
the street. Since his return an arrangement had been made to pay back
the money that she had put into the Archdale firm, and a part of this
had been already paid; the rest was to follow soon. It was no wonder
that Mr. Archdale wanted to be rid of all thought of her, since she had
made him lose what he valued most in the world. After a time she turned
back to the open fire again and took up her book; but she did not read
much. "Is it possible," she said to herself at last, "that it annoys me
because he does not treat me as the rest do, as if I had done something
wonderful? He knows better. And surely I have done him injury enough to
make him wish never to see me again." Again she sat with her book in her
lap and thinking. "There was a charm in that terrible life at Louisburg
that I cannot find here," she said to herself at last. "I suppose I am
not made for gayety. He was one of the figures in it, and he recalls it.
But all that life has gone, and he with it." Then she was shocked at a
disposition that could prefer bloodshed to peace. No; it certainly was
not this: it was because for once she had been a little useful. She felt
sure that Stephen Archdale had met Katie, and, as he went down the
street past the house that rainy morning, Elizabeth's thoughts followed
him with a pity all the more deep that it would be compelled to be
forever silent.

A week went by,--a week of weather that had all the sultriness of
August. Mrs. Eveleigh, more amazed at each added day of this, predicted
calamity, and urged Elizabeth to give up an excursion that she had
promised to take down the harbor with a party of friends. Sir Temple and
Lady Dacre, who had spent the summer in Canada, and had returned to
Boston, were among the guests; indeed, the party had been made for them,
and, as the dainty yacht sped out to sea, none were more pleased with
it, and with being in it, than Lady Dacre.

Archdale was nearer Mistress Royal than he had been since their walks
and talks together at Louisburg. But Sir Temple Dacre had seized upon
her almost at starting, and when the yacht ran ashore for the party to
stroll under the trees on the point and to lunch there, the conversation
was still going on. Sir Temple was asking Elizabeth about her late
experiences and observations; he found the first very interesting