return
the compliment, or your influence will become an evil one."

"Ned: I had not intended to tell you this; but now I will. Sholto
Douglas not only loves me, but he told me so to-day."

"Of course. A man always does tell it, sooner or later."

Marian sat down on the sofa and looked at him for some time gravely and
a little wistfully. "I think," she said, "I should feel very angry if
any woman made such a confession to you."

"A Christian British lady does not readily forgive a breach of
convention; nor a woman an invasion of her privileges, even when they
have become a burden to her."

"What do you mean by that?" she said, rising.

"Marian," he said, looking straight at her: "are you dissatisfied?"

"What reason have I to--"

"Never mind the reasons. Are you?"

"No," said she, steadfastly.

He smiled indulgently; pressed her hand for a moment against his cheek;
and went out for the short walk he was accustomed to take before
retiring.

CHAPTER XV

In October Marian was at Sark, holiday making at the house of Hardy
McQuinch's brother, who had recently returned to England with a fortune
made in Australia. Conolly, having the house at Holland Park to himself,
fitted a spare room as a laboratory, and worked there every night. One
evening, returning home alone a little before five o'clock, he shut
himself into this laboratory, and had just set to work when Armande, the
housemaid, interrupted him.

"Mrs. Leith Fairfax, sir."

Conolly had had little intercourse with Mrs. Fairfax since before his
marriage, when he had once shewn her the working of his invention at
Queen Victoria Street; and as Marian had since resented her share of
Douglas's second proposal by avoiding her society as far as possible
without actually discontinuing her acquaintance, this visit was a
surprise. Conolly looked darkly at Armande, and went to the drawing-room
without a word.

"_How_ do you do, Mr. Conolly?" said Mrs. Fairfax, as he entered. "I
need not ask: you are looking so well. Have I disturbed you?"

"You have--most agreeably. Pray sit down."

"I know your time is priceless. I should never have ventured to come,
but that I felt sure you would like to hear all the news from Sark. I
have been there for the last fortnight. Marian told me to call on you
the moment I returned."

"Yes," said Conolly, convinced that this was not true. "She promised to
do so in her last letter."

Mrs. Fairfax, on the point of publishi