ch in her was so very unusual. "What happened this morning
has spoiled what I thought was such a beautiful friendship! And then I
feel frightened--horribly frightened"--she went on in a low voice.

"What is it that frightens you, Helen?" asked Blanche.

These confidences seemed at once so futile, and yet also so sinister,
knowing what she now knew.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Varick will 'will' me into thinking I care for
him," the girl confessed in a low voice. "He says that he will never
give up hope, and that, although he knows he isn't worthy of me, he
thinks that in time I shall care for him. But I don't want to care for
him, Miss Farrow--I'm sure that Milly is jealous of me; yet at Redsands,
when she was dying, it made her happy that we were friends."

"I don't think you need be afraid that Lionel will ever ask you to marry
him again," said Blanche firmly. "And, Helen? Let me give you a word of
advice. Never, never, tell anyone of what happened to you this morning."

The girl blushed painfully. "I know I ought not to have told you," she
whispered, "but I felt so wretched." She hesitated, and then added:
"Ever since it happened I have been remembering that first evening, when
my dear father warned me to leave this house. Oh, how I wish I had done
what he told me to do!"

"I think you are wrong there," said Blanche. "I think a day will come,
Helen, and in spite of anything that has happened, or that may happen,
when you will be very glad that you stayed on at Wyndfell Hall."

"Do you?" she said wistfully and then she went on, with a note of
diffidence and shyness which touched the older woman: "You and Bubbles
have both been so kind to me--would you rather that I stayed on with
you? I will if you like."

"As a matter of fact, Bubbles and I are going away to-day, after all,"
said Blanche, "so let me send one of the men down with your telegram."

"I would rather take it myself--really!" and a moment later she
disappeared round the sharp turning which led on to the open road.

* * * * *

Blanche walked on, her eyes on the ground, until there fell on her ears
the sound of quick footsteps. She looked up, to see Varick's tall figure
hurrying towards her.

They met by the moat bridge, and as he came up to her he saw her pull
forward the veil which, neatly arranged round the rim of her small felt
hat, was not really meant to cover her face.

"Let's walk down here for a moment," he said