per from her sister's hand, Juno glanced carelessly at
the paragraph indicated by Bell; then, as she caught Mark's name, she
glanced again with a startled, incredulous look, her cheeks and lips
turning white as she read that Mark Ray was lost to her forever, and
that in spite of the stolen letter Helen Lennox was his wife.

"What is it, Juno?" Mrs. Cameron asked, noticing her daughter's
agitation.

Juno told her what it was, handing her the paper and letting her read it
for herself.

"Impossible! there is some mistake! How was it brought about?" she
continued, darting a curious glance at Bell, whose face betrayed nothing
as she leisurely sipped her coffee, and remarked: "I always thought it
would come to this, for I knew he liked her. It is a splendid match."

Whatever Juno thought she kept it to herself, just as she kept her room
the entire day, suffering from a racking headache, and ordering the
curtains to be dropped, as the light hurt her eyes, she said to Bell,
who, really pitying her now, never suggested that the darkened room was
more to hide her tears than to save her eyes, and who sent away all
callers with the message that Juno was sick--all but Sybil Grandon, who
insisted so hard upon seeing her dear friend that she was admitted to
Juno's room, talking at once of the wedding, and making every one of
Juno's nerves quiver with pain as she descanted upon the splendid match
it was for Helen, or indeed for any girl.

"I had given you to him," she said, "but I see I was mistaken. It was
Helen he preferred, unless you jilted him, as perhaps you did."

Here was a temptation Juno could not resist, and she replied, haughtily:

"I am not one to boast of conquests, but ask Captain Ray himself if you
wish to know why I did not marry him."

Sybil Grandon was not deceived, but she good-naturedly suffered that
young lady to hope she was, and answered, laughingly: "I can't say I
honor your judgment in refusing him, but you know best. However, I trust
that will not prevent your friendly advances toward his bride. Mrs.
Banker has gone after her, I understand, and I want you to call with me
as soon as convenient. Mrs. Mark Ray will be the belle of the season,
depend upon it," and gathering up her furs Mrs. Grandon kissed Juno
affectionately and then swept from the room.

That Mrs. Cameron had hunted for and failed to find the stolen letter,
and that she associated its disappearance with Mark Ray's sudden
marriage, Bell