olish nervousness.

'It was very clumsy on my part,' stammered Max. Could it be my fancy, or
had he turned suddenly pale, as though something had startled him too?

'Oh no, it was only my poor nerves,' replied Miss Darrell, with her
brightest smile. 'What was I saying? Oh yes, I remember now,--about
Claude: he wrote to Gladys to ask if he might come, and she said yes.
Ah, here comes tea, and I believe I heard Giles's ring at the bell.'

I cannot tell which of the two revealed it to me,--whether it was the
sudden pallor on Max's face, or the curious watchful look that I detected
in Miss Darrell's eyes: it was only there for a moment, but it reminded
me of the look with which a cat eyes the mouse she has just drawn within
her claws. I saw it all then with a quick flash of intuition. I had
partly guessed it before, but now I was sure of it.

My poor Max, so brave and cheery and patient! But she should not torment
him any longer in my presence. If he had to suffer,--and the cause of
that suffering was still a mystery to me,--she should not spy out his
weakness. He had turned his face aside with a quick look of pain as he
spoke, and the next moment I had mounted the breach and was begging Miss
Darrell to assist me in the case of a poor family,--old hospital
acquaintances of mine, who were emigrating to New Zealand.

My importunity seemed to surprise her. My sudden loquacity was an
interruption; but I would not be repressed or silenced. I took the chair
beside her, and made her look at me. I fixed her wandering attention and
pressed her until she grew irritable with impatience. I saw Max was
recovering himself: by and by he gave a forced laugh.

'You will have to give in, Miss Darrell. Ursula always gets her own way.
How much do you want, child? You must be merciful to a poor vicar. Will
that satisfy you?' offering me a sovereign, and Miss Darrell, after a
moment's hesitation, produced the same sum from her purse.

I took her money coolly, but I would not resign the reins of the
conversation any more into her hands. When Mr. Hamilton entered the room
he stopped and looked at me with visible astonishment: he had never heard
me so fluent before; but somehow my eloquence died a natural death after
his entrance. I was still a little shy with Mr. Hamilton.

His manner was unusually genial this afternoon. I was sure he was
delighted to see us both there again. He spoke to Max in a jesting tone,
and then looked benignly at hi