nuation means, after what has
happened here to-night. Miss Pride! Do you dare accuse me--?"

"Oh, no-please!" Mercedes begged, aghast, quaking in realisation of
the enormity of her mistake. "I didn't think--I didn't know you--I
didn't mean--"

"That," Sally cut in tensely, "is a deliberate falsehood. You
inveigled me into this for the sole purpose of insulting me. Now I
mean to have you repeat your accusation before witnesses. I
shall inform Mrs. Gosnold--"

"Oh, no, Miss Manwaring! I beg of you, no! I didn't mean what you
think, indeed I didn't!"

Sally made to speak, choked upon her indignation, and gulped.

"That's a lie!" she declared huskily; and rising fled the place.

She went a few hasty paces blindly, then remembering she mustn't make
an exhibition of herself, however great the provocation, checked her
steps and went on at a less conspicuous and precipitate rate.

But still her vision was dark with tears of rage and mortification,
and still her bosom heaved convulsively. Now and again she stumbled.

Twice since nightfall the abominable accusation had been flung into
her face, the unthinkable thing imputed to her, and this last time out
of sheer, gratuitous spleen, the jealous spite of a mean-minded old
maid. For Miss Pride had no such excuse as Adele Standish had for
thinking Sally capable of infamy--unless indeed, Mrs. Standish had
proved false to her pledge and had told people. But no; she'd never do
that; not, at least, while the settlement of her insurance claim
remained in abeyance.

The brutality of it!

A strong hand closing unceremoniously on her wrist brought Sally to a
standstill within two paces of the low stone wall that guarded the
brink of the cliff.

"Look where you're going, Miss; Manwaring!" Trego's voice counselled
her quietly. Then, seeing that she yielded readily, he released her.
"I beg your pardon," he said, "but in another minute if I hadn't taken
the liberty of stopping you, you might have hurt yourself."

She managed to mutter an ungracious "Thank you."

"It's none of my business," Trego volunteered with some heat, "but I'd
like to know what that vicious old vixen found to say to upset you
this way."

"Oh, you were watching."

"No; I just happened to be sticking round when you flew out of that
fool sideshow of hers like you were possessed. And then I saw you
weren't paying much attention where you were going, and I was afraid.
Hope you don't mind my butting in."

"