too banal in words. _Anything_? Katrine understood the reference,
and flushed brightly. She hurried to add a clause:

"Of course, if you had been sentimentally disposed, it would have been
different, but you have never--"

"No," responded Grizel amiably, "I never have."

Voice and manner were all that is friendly; there was not a particle of
resentment, nevertheless the subject was closed, and Katrine knew that
she could never refer to it again. That Martin would not do so on his
own accord she felt convinced, for though Grizel herself was unchanged,
there was an unmistakable difference between his present behaviour to
his guest, and that during her recent visit. Now he was merely the
courteous host, concerned with the comfort and amusement of his sister's
guest, but making no personal claim for attention. By day he shut
himself in his study; in the evening he sedulously avoided
_tete-a-tetes_. A still, set look had come back to his face, which
brought with it a haunting memory of the past. Katrine had not realised
how far from the desert of sorrow he had travelled until she recognised
that look, and at the sight her heart contracted with a pang of
protective tenderness, startling in its intensity. At that moment, and
for the first time in her life, Self was wiped out, and her own welfare
ceased to weigh in the balance. "Not again! Not again!" cried the
inner voice. "He has suffered enough!" It was intolerable to think of
living to see Martin pass through a second period of despair!

Katrine set her wits to work to puzzle out the problem before her, and
at each point in her reflections the same question recurred with
ever-increasing force. _Why had Grizel come back_? Realising as any
woman must have done the depth of Martin's love, why, at this moment of
all others, had she deliberately put herself in his way? Grizel was not
heartless, her numerous flirtations had been of an open and innocent
nature, stopping well short of the danger point; it was inconceivable to
believe that she would deliberately increase Martin's pain. Then--could
it be possible that she was _willing_ to sacrifice all; was but waiting
for a word, a sign? It was almost impossible to believe, but at least,
Katrine determined, the opportunity should be given. Now that the
critical moment had arrived all other dreads dwindled before that of
failing to do her share to secure Martin's happiness.

That very day at lunch she made her