ange, brooding over these instances, would have said
the same, but for Miss Driscoll's absolute serenity of demeanour and
complete abandonment to love. These seemed incompatible with guilt;
these, whatever the appearances, proclaimed innocence--an innocence she
was here to prove if fortune favoured and the really guilty person's
madness should again break forth.

For madness it would be and nothing less, for any hand, even the most
experienced, to draw attention to itself by a repetition of old tricks
on an occasion so marked. Yet because it would take madness, and madness
knows no law, she prepared herself for the contingency under a mask of
girlish smiles which made her at once the delight and astonishment of
her watchful and uneasy host.

With the exception of the diamonds worn by the Ambassadress, there was
but one jewel of consequence to be seen at the dinner that night; but
how great was that consequence and with what splendour it invested the
snowy neck it adorned!

Miss Strange, in compliment to the noble foreigners, had put on one
of her family heirlooms--a filigree pendant of extraordinary sapphires
which had once belonged to Marie Antoinette. As its beauty flashed upon
the women, and its value struck the host, the latter could not restrain
himself from casting an anxious eye about the board in search of some
token of the cupidity with which one person there must welcome this
unexpected sight.

Naturally his first glance fell upon Alicia, seated opposite to him at
the other end of the table. But her eyes were elsewhere, and her smile
for Captain Holliday, and the father's gaze travelled on, taking up each
young girl's face in turn. All were contemplating Miss Strange and her
jewels, and the cheeks of one were flushed and those of the others
pale, but whether with dread or longing who could tell. Struck with
foreboding, but alive to his duty as host, he forced his glances away,
and did not even allow himself to question the motive or the wisdom of
the temptation thus offered.

Two hours later and the girls were all in one room. It was a custom of
the Inseparables to meet for a chat before retiring, but always
alone and in the room of one of their number. But this was a night of
innovations; Violet was not only included, but the meeting was held in
her room. Her way with girls was even more fruitful of result than her
way with men. They might laugh at her, criticize her or even call her
names significant o