, three days later. Nothing whatever is changed
between us. A little discussion of this sort is all to the good.
Plainly, you have thought me a much weaker man than I am: when that
error of judgment is removed, our relations will be better than ever."

The temptation to say one word more overcame Irene's finer sense of the
becoming. Jacks had already taken his hat, and was again bowing, when
she spoke.

"You are so sure that your will is stronger than mine?"

"Perfectly sure," he replied, with superb tranquillity.

No one had ever seen, no one again would ever see, that face of high
disdainful beauty, pain-stricken on the fair brow, which Irene for a
moment turned upon him. As he withdrew, the smile that lurked behind
her scorn glimmered forth for an instant, and passed in the falling of
a tear.

She went to her room, and lay down. The sleep she had not dared to hope
for fell upon her whilst she was trying to set her thoughts in order.
She slept until eight o'clock; her headache was gone.

Neither with her father, nor with Olga, did she speak of what had
passed.

Before going to bed, she packed carefully a large dress-basket and a
travelling-bag, which a servant brought down for her from the box-room.
Again she slept, but only for an hour or two, and at seven in the
morning she rose.

CHAPTER XXVIII

The breakfast hour was nine o'clock. Dr. Derwent, as usual, came down a
few minutes before, and turned over the letters lying for him on the
table. Among them he found an envelope addressed in a hand which looked
very much like Irene's; it had not come by post. As he was reading the
note it contained, Eustace and Olga Hannaford entered together,
talking. He bade them good-morning, and all sat down to table.

"Irene's late," said Eustace presently, glancing at the clock.

The Doctor looked at him with an odd smile.

"She left Victoria ten minutes ago," he said, "by the Calais-boat
express."

Eustace and Olga stared, exclaimed.

"She suddenly made up her mind to accept an invitation from Mrs.
Borisoff."

"But--what an extraordinary thing!" pealed Eustace, who was always
greatly disturbed by anything out of routine. "She didn't speak of it
yesterday!"

Olga gazed at the Doctor. Her wan face had a dawn of brightness.

"How long is she likely to stay, uncle?"

"I haven't the least idea."

"Well, she can't stay long," Eustace exclaimed. "Ah! I have it! Don't
you see, Olga? It means Parisian dresses