sex in Pond's hectoring catechism and blunt rejection of her. Yes,
and in the cool declaration of war from Dr. Vivian, who had grown so
hard since May. Busy and serious beings these, who would not be deterred
by the flutterings of the doubtless ornamental but completely
useless....

"You're to go back for Mrs. Heth, William."

"Yas'm," said William, and clicked the little door behind her.

Yes, and where there was no sex, there she, Cally Heth, wasn't wanted.
Hard words these, but they seemed to have the ring of truth. She was
wanted as a woman, she was wanted as an ornament, but she appeared to
have no particular purpose as a human being. And the best prospect that
life held out to her to-night was to settle down in a weary world as
Mrs. J. Forsythe Avery.

Cally opened the front door, which was hospitably kept on the latch
during the daytime, and stepped into the dim hall of home. Rarely in her
life had she felt more dispirited. Nevertheless, when she heard a
footfall from the direction of the drawing-room, and was reminded that
papa had already come in, her combative blood plucked up at once. She
wanted to tell her father immediately that he was going to be attacked
in the papers; never fear but he would know what to do about it.

"Papa!" she called. "Where are you? I ..."

Speaking, she had put her head through the drawing-room portieres,
rehung that very day: and so it was that her sentence was never ended in
this world. For it was not papa who turned so quickly at the sound of
her voice, and came walking so straight and sure towards her. Not papa,
this splendid and once well-admired figure, now confronting her with
such unmistakable feeling. No, the wonder of all wonders had happened;
and the universe seemed to hang in momentary suspense as Cally Heth
looked again into the eyes of her prince of lovers.

"Carlisle," said Hugo's remembered voice, "I've come back."

She stood unmoving in the doorway, her fingers tightening on the silken
hanging. Her breast was in a tumult of emotions, in which a leaping
exultation was not wanting. But stronger than anything else in this
moment was the uprushing feeling that here was one whom she had well
trusted once, and who had failed her in her direst need.

"So I see," said she.

And continuing to look fixedly at him as he advanced upon her, beginning
to speak, she was shot through with a bitter thought:

"He's found I'm not so badly damaged after all."