. It is a matter that may affect even our friends
here. Whatever West's social standing was in this house, lately he was
in confidential business relations with Mrs. Saltonstall." He raised
his eyes for the first time to Garnier as he added, slowly, "It is to
be hoped that if our hostess has no social reasons to deplore the loss
of Dr. West, she at least will have no other."

With a lover's instinct, conscious only of some annoyance to Maruja, in
all this, Carroll anxiously looked for her appearance among the others.
He was doomed to disappointment, however. His half-timid inquiries
only resulted in the information that Maruja was closeted with her
mother. The penetralia of the casa was only accessible to the family;
yet, as he wandered uneasily about, he could not help passing once or
twice before the quaint low archway, with its grated door, that opened
from the central hall. His surprise may be imagined when he suddenly
heard his name uttered in a low voice; and, looking up, he beheld the
soft eyes of Maruja at the grating.

She held the door partly open with one little hand, and made a sign for
him to enter with the other. When he had done so, she said, "Come with
me," and preceded him down the dim corridor. His heart beat thickly;
the incense of this sacred inner life, with its faint suggestion of
dead rose-leaves, filled him with a voluptuous languor; his breath was
lost, as if a soft kiss had taken it away; his senses swam in the light
mist that seemed to suffuse everything. His step trembled as she
suddenly turned aside, and, opening a door, ushered him into a small
vaulted chamber.

In the first glance it seemed to be an oratory or chapel. A large gold
and ebony crucifix hung on the wall. There was a prie-dieu of heavy
dark mahogany in the centre of the tiled floor; there was a low ottoman
or couch, covered with a mantle of dark violet velvet, like a pall;
there were two quaintly carved stiff chairs; a religious, almost
ascetic, air pervaded the apartment; but no dreamy eastern seraglio
could have affected him with an intoxication so profoundly and
mysteriously sensuous.

Maruja pointed to a chair, and then, with a peculiarly feminine
movement, placed herself sideways upon the ottoman, half reclining on
her elbow on a high cushion, her deep billowy flounces partly veiling
the funereal velvet below. Her oval face was pale and melancholy, her
eyes moist as if with recent tears; an expression as of