en he last parted from her.

"Oh, I don't know," she rejoined, sadly; "gone, with my youth, I
suppose, Henry."

"My poor girl!" he said, gently, "you have suffered very much in this
separation. I had no right to leave you alone for so many years. But it
is all over now, dearest, and I will take such good care of you that you
will be obliged to get well and strong again."

She turned round suddenly from the glass, and pressed her lips upon the
hand which held her hair.

"Don't," she murmured; "pray don't speak to me so, Henry! I can't bear
it; I can't indeed!"

He thought it was from excess of feeling that she spoke; and so it was,
though not as he imagined. So he changed the subject lightly, and bade
her be lazy no longer, but put on her dress, if she was really
determined to make one of the party at dinner that evening.

In another minute, Mrs. Damer had brushed her diminished hair into the
fashion in which she ordinarily wore it; thrown on an evening-robe of
black, which, while it contrasted well with her fairness, showed the
falling away of her figure in a painful degree; and was ready to
accompany her husband downstairs.

They were met at the door of the drawing-room by their host, who was
eager to show cordiality towards guests of whom his wife thought so
much, and having also been acquainted himself with Mrs. Damer since her
return to England. He led her up to the sofa whereon Bella sat; and,
dinner being almost immediately announced, the little hostess was busy
pairing off her couples.

"Mr. Laurence!" she exclaimed; and then looking around the room, "where
_is_ Mr. Laurence?" So that that gentleman was forced to leave the
window-curtains, behind which he had ensconced himself, and advance into
the centre of the room. "Oh, here you are at last; will you take Mrs.
Damer down to dinner?" and proceeding immediately with the usual form of
introduction--"Mr. Laurence--Mrs. Damer."

They bowed to each other; but over the lady's face, as she went through
her share of the introduction, there passed so indescribable, and yet so
unmistakable a change, that Mrs. Clayton, although not very quick, could
not help observing it, and she said, involuntarily--

"Have you met Mr. Laurence before, Blanche?"

"I believe I have had that pleasure--in London--many years ago."

The last words came out so faintly that they were almost
undistinguishable.

"Why didn't you tell me so?" said Bella Clayton, reproachfully, to Mr