lance, in a stray
word, in a chance touch, and then drift on into mystery, never to
reappear.

Her thoughts were confused and excited as she descended from the cab
and entered the Curzon Street house; but on the moment that she stepped
into the hall, her dreams were banished. A door on her right opened,
and her hostess hurried forward and kissed her effusively.

"You dear thing!" she cried. "Wasn't it abominable of me? Was the
arrival desperately weary? Come up to my bedroom. The men haven't come
yet. What ages it seems since we said good-bye at Nice! How are you?"
She talked in her masterful voice, without waiting for a reply, until
they entered the bedroom. There her maid, who was busying herself at
the dressing-table, came forward to assist Clodagh; but Lady Frances
checked her at once.

"Mrs. Milbanke won't need you, Rees. I'll take off her cloak."

Rees moved obediently towards the door; but there she ventured to pause
for a moment.

"I hope you had a comfortable journey, madam," she said.

Clodagh, invariably gracious to her inferiors, turned to her warmly.

"Thank you, Rees! An excellent journey! But I'm glad to see everybody
look so well." She added the last with a little smile, to which the
maid responded as she closed the door.

Lady Frances laughed.

"You have bewitched Rees!" she said. "But you do that as you eat or
sleep--by instinct. Let me look at you!" She laid her hands on
Clodagh's shoulders and turned her towards the light.

"You've been playing every night since I left you," she said with
decision.

Clodagh laughed with some constraint.

"And losing?"

Clodagh flushed.

"I have no luck," she said shortly. Then, almost at once, she turned
away, freeing herself from her companion's detaining hands.

"Lady Frances," she said in a different tone, "please don't think I
forget about--about----" she hesitated. "I get my first allowance at
the beginning of July, you know----"

She paused; and Lady Frances gave a seemingly careless laugh. "My good
child, don't speak of it! Any time!--any time!"

"You are very kind. I had hoped to settle up on my return, but the last
week was shocking. But everything will be right at the beginning of
July. She walked over to the dressing-table and looked at herself in
the long glass.

"What a sweet house you have!" she said suddenly in an entirely
different voice.

Lady Frances had been watching her with a close scrutiny; but now, with
a good deal of