that I have never breathed his name to you.
Who has spoken it, then? How could such a thought arise in your mind? It
must be Etta, and we are undone,--undone!'

'My darling, you must not excite yourself about a mere mistake,' I
returned, anxious to soothe her. 'I cannot tell you how it came into my
head; that is my little secret, Gladys, my dear: if you agitate yourself
at a word we shall never understand each other. I want you to trust me as
you would trust a dear sister,--we are sisters in heart, Gladys,'--but
here I blushed over my words and wished them unuttered,--'and to tell me
exactly what has passed between you and Max.'

CHAPTER XL

THE TALK IN THE GLOAMING

I heard Gladys repeat my words softly under her breath,--she seemed to
say them in a sort of dream,--'what has passed between you and Max.' And
then she looked at me a little pitifully, and her lip quivered. 'Oh, if I
dared to speak! but to you of all persons,--what would you think of me?
Could it be right?--and I have never opened my lips to any one on that
subject of my own accord; if Lady Betty knows, it is because Etta told
her. Oh, it was wrong--cruel of Giles to let her worm the truth out of
him!'

'If Lady Betty and Miss Darrell know, you might surely trust me,--your
friend,' I returned. 'Gladys, you know how I honour reticence in such
matters; I am the last person to force an unwilling confidence; but there
are reasons--no, I cannot explain myself; you must trust me implicitly or
not at all. I do not think you will ever repent that trust; and for your
own sake as well as mine I implore you to confide in me.' For a moment
she looked at me with wide, troubled eyes, then she ceased to hesitate.

'What is it you want to know?' she asked, in a low voice.

'Everything, all that has passed between you and my poor Max, who always
seems so terribly unhappy. Is it not you who have to answer for that
unhappiness?'

A pained expression crossed her face.

'It is true that I made him unhappy once, but that is long ago; and men
are not like us: they get over things. Oh, I must explain it to you, or
you will not understand. Do not be hard upon me: I have been sorely
punished,' she sighed; and for a few moments there was silence between
us. I had no wish to hurry her. I knew her well: she was long in giving
her confidence, but when once she gave it, it would be lavishly,
generously, and without stint, just as she would give her love, for
Gladys w