veness and diffidence had been leading her into distrust of
the situation, her eyes were suddenly too wide open to allow of any
further indulgence in comfort of that kind. There was no mistaking this
unprecedented self-abstraction, the curious, far-away expression that
was almost stereotyped on his features, the continued inattentiveness to
her words that often required her to repeat her remarks and not
unfrequently ignored them, so that she was continually shrinking into
herself, too wounded to insist again. By the side of this, his former
attitude, little as it had satisfied her, seemed impulsive and
passionate!

His face was grave and sad for the most part, but sometimes it shone
with a rapture which she knew had not been inspired by her! He was not
himself in any way; his smile and laugh had not the old spontaneous
charm. Every note of his affection rang false. And yet, in form, his
solicitude and loving care for her remained the same as always. But this
could not blind her; she knew he was trying his best, but his heart and
mind were not with her. Ah, well, if he cared for anybody, it was
certainly not for her!

"Who has drawn him away from me? Who has robbed me?--who has robbed me?"

For days she had pondered and pondered, her mind faltering, her lips
dreading to whisper the name. Wyndham was painting Lady Lakeden. She was
young; she must be interesting and beautiful.

"He is in love with Lady Lakeden!" It escaped from her lips at last, and
then she remained ashen--trembling.

Nay, surely he had loved Lady Lakeden in the old days--loved her
secretly and despairingly, seeing her often, but too poor to woo her!
Moreover, Lady Lakeden had then loved another. "Yes, yes, that is the
truth--the truth!" she cried; "And now he has been seeing her again
daily, and the old love has been reborn!"

A pall descended over Alice's spirit. What a cruel situation! Here was
Wyndham pledged to a woman he could not care for, yet in love with
another whose whole heart was with the dear husband that had been taken
from her. "He is struggling bravely to be true to me--I see it all
now--he is breaking his heart. It is my duty to release him from his
word--ah! no, no!" She shuddered and covered her face, shaken and
shaken. "Even if I gave him his freedom," she argued presently, clinging
on to the wreck with might and main, "it would only be freedom to find
despair. Lady Lakeden loved her husband. I know she is great and true.
She k