d
for my own happiness."

She stopped, and drew a quick, deep breath.

Nance clasped her hands, fearfully conscious that more was still to
come.

"When I have a difficult thing to do," Clodagh went on, "I must do it
quickly. I can't wait, I can't prepare and plan, I can't brood over
things. After Walter left yesterday I decided that what must be done
must be done at once. I made up my mind that I would see Lord
Deerehurst to-night; that I would be quite candid with him, explain my
position--and appeal to his generosity to let our friendship end."

"Then to-night----?"

"To-night was all a deception. I had no headache--I wasn't ill. I
shammed it all, that I might be alone."

"And while we were at the theatre you sent for him----?"

"No! I went to Carlton House Terrace to see him."

"Went to see him! Clo!"

"I said you could hate me! Do hate me! Despise me! Think anything
you like! I went to see him; I went to his house--at night,
alone--thinking, believing---- Oh!" She made a gesture of acute
self-disgust. "Nance, need I say it all? Need I?--need I? Can't you
understand without my saying? All that I had imagined about his
friendship was untrue. Such people don't understand friendship. All
along he had been waiting, quietly and silently, like one of those
horrible hawks we used to watch at Orristown--waiting to swoop down
when the right moment came." With an almost hysterical gesture she put
her hand to her throat.

Nance's face had become very white; but in the intensity of her pity
and love, she did not dare to approach her sister.

"Clo," she whispered, "you must tell Walter."

Clodagh's face suddenly flamed.

"Tell Walter! Tell Walter that I owe Deerehurst a thousand pounds--that
I lied to him and to you all to-night, that I might go alone to
Deerehurst's house! You don't know Walter! There is only one thing in
the world that I can do--that I must do, and that is to go to Ireland
and arrange about raising money on my share of Orristown. It can be
done somehow. Father did it. I shall not eat or sleep or think until
that thousand pounds is paid."

Prompted by a swift and eager impulse, Nance's face flushed, and she
ran forward. Then almost as she reached her sister's side, her
expression changed. She suddenly curbed her impetuosity.

"Perhaps it _would_ be a good idea," she said slowly. "When would you
like to go?"

"To-night if I could! I feel--oh, I feel----!" Clodagh put her hands
over her face