he unexpected pleasure and then
boldly played a false card.

"Your coming was so unexpected, dear, that it has deprived me of my good
manners. I sincerely congratulate you on your engagement to Lord
Ellerslie. It was a great surprise to me; I was, er--under the
impression--"

Grace looked at her steadily, a cynical contempt faintly curling the red
lips. "Really! How strange! I should have imagined that my own surprise
would have been the greater, considering that, as you know, there was
not a word of truth in that announcement so maliciously dictated by some
contemptible wretch to subserve her own vicious purpose. By this time
our lawyers will have determined the responsibility for that pitiful
lie, although I have already a full conviction as to its authorship!
It's really dreadful, Connie! But, as mamma says, women of our station
are proverbially exposed to such annoyances. And people have absolutely
no regard for the probable consequences of their malicious gossip. Think
of what it would mean to you, dear, for Instance, if someone were to
mercilessly convey to Mr. Brevoort an insinuation that you had been
guilty of--of a great indiscretion! Think of the publicity, the scandal,
the shame of it; the loss of home, rank, station and friends."

Under the lash of the bitterly deliberate words Constance Brevoort
winced and cringed. This thing of white flame and quiet fury was
scarcely the "colorless entity" of her misplaced contempt. How much did
she really know, anyway? The doubt was cutting her soul into ribbons.

Summoning all her really great courage to her aid, she affected to treat
the matter humorously and gave an exaggerated little shiver of
deprecation. But all the time her heart was quaking with a fear of the
outraged girl before her. Yet she had all the proverbial courage--or Is
it the desperation--of the cornered wolf she knew herself to be, and
metaphorically bared her teeth.

"How dramatically grewsome your suggestion, _cherie_! It really gives me
the shivers! But supposing the absurdly impossible; what then? Don't you
know that the world and all its hollow shams are well lost for a love
like the one you are intimating?" It was a distinct challenge; one could
read it diviningly in the set lips and flashing eyes as well. But love
fights doggedly and unconqueredly long after volatile and ephemeral
passion has fled a stubborn field, and this was the love of the daughter
of "the bravest man God ever made."