is
time at the door, he bowed himself out with all the insinuating suavity
which distinguishes him at certain critical moments. The old fox was so
sure of his triumph that he did not wait to witness it. He knew--how, it
is easy enough for me to understand now--that X. was a place I had often
threatened to visit. The family of one of my dearest friends lived
there, the children of Althea Knollys. She had been my chum at school,
and when she died I had promised myself not to let many months go by
without making the acquaintance of her children. Alas! I had allowed
years to elapse.

III

I SUCCUMB

That night the tempter had his own way with me. Without much difficulty
he persuaded me that my neglect of Althea Burroughs' children was
without any excuse; that what had been my duty toward them when I knew
them to be left motherless and alone, had become an imperative demand
upon me now that the town in which they lived had become overshadowed by
a mystery which could not but affect the comfort and happiness of all
its inhabitants. I could not wait a day. I recalled all that I had heard
of poor Althea's short and none too happy marriage, and immediately felt
such a burning desire to see if her dainty but spirited beauty--how well
I remembered it--had been repeated in her daughters, that I found myself
packing my trunk before I knew it.

I had not been from home for a long time--all the more reason why I
should have a change now--and when I notified Mrs. Randolph and the
servants of my intention of leaving on the early morning train, it
created quite a sensation in the house.

But I had the best of explanations to offer. I had been thinking of my
dead friend, and my conscience would not let me neglect her dear and
possibly unhappy progeny any longer. I had purposed many times to visit
X., and now I was going to do it. When I come to a decision, it is
usually suddenly, and I never rest after having once made up my mind.

My sentiment went so far that I got down an old album and began hunting
up the pictures I had brought away with me from boarding-school. Hers
was among them, and I really did experience more or less compunction
when I saw again the delicate yet daring features which had once had a
very great influence over my mind. What a teasing sprite she was, yet
what a will she had, and how strange it was that, having been so
intimate as girls, we never knew anything of each other as women! Had it
been her f