little table beside
her and returned to his own seat. He did not however begin to write
again. He turned the chair almost with its back to Mrs. Vane, and
clasped his hands behind his fine dark head. In this position he
remained perfectly motionless until she had finished her examination of
the newspapers. In a quarter of an hour she declared herself satisfied.

"Have you found all that you wanted?"

"Oh; yes, thank you!" One important item she had certainly secured--the
fact that Westwood's daughter had been named "Cynthia Janet." "Cynthia
Janet Westwood"--"Cynthia West"--it was plain enough to her quick
intelligence that the two were one and the same. Hubert had never
thought of looking for the name of Westwood's little daughter in the
_Times_.

"By-the-bye," said Flossy lightly, "I hear sad tales of you in town. How
often is it that you go to see the new singer--Miss West? Has poor Enid
a rival?"

He did not look round; but she saw that her question sent a shock
through his nerves.

"I do not know what you mean," he answered coldly.

"Oh, do you not? You may as well speak the truth--to me, Hubert. Are you
going to marry Miss West or Miss Vane--which?"

"Neither, I think."

"Don't be absurd. Are you going to marry Miss West?"

"No."

"Shall you marry Enid Vane?"

"It is not very likely that she will marry me."

Something in the intense dreariness of his tone struck painfully on
Florence's ear. She rose and put her hand on Hubert's shoulder.

"What is the matter with you, Hubert?"

He shook off her hand as if it had been a noxious reptile of which he
desired to rid himself, and rose to his feet.

"You must not mind what I say to-day, Florence. I am not well. I--I
shall see you another time."

"Of course you will--plenty of times, I hope!" A look of dismay began to
show itself in Flossy's velvet-brown eyes. "You are not contemplating
any new step, I hope? I----"

"Don't be alarmed!" he said, with a hoarse unnatural laugh. "Before I
take any new step I will come to you. I will not leave you without a
warning." Then he seemed to recover his self-possession and spoke in
more measured tones. "Nonsense, Florence--don't concern yourself about
me! I have a bad headache--that is all. If I am left alone, I shall soon
be better."

"I hope you will," said Flossy, rather gravely, "for you look alarmingly
ill to-day. You should send for the doctor, Hubert. And now I will say
good-bye, for I have two or three