him put Beatrice on her bed, and heard him sigh and turn
away; nothing had escaped her. As soon as he was gone, she had risen and
crept up to Beatrice, and finding that she was only in a faint had left
her to recover, knowing her to be in no danger. Elizabeth was not a
nervous person. Then she had listened till at length a deep sigh told
her of the return of her sister's consciousness. After this there was a
pause, till presently Beatrice's long soft breaths showed that she had
glided from swoon to sleep.

The slow night wore away, and at length the cold dawn crept through
the window. Elizabeth still watching, for she was not willing to lose a
single scene of a drama so entrancing in itself and so important to her
interests, saw her sister suddenly sit up in bed and press her hands
to her forehead, as though she was striving to recall a dream. Then
Beatrice covered her eyes with her hands and groaned heavily. Next she
looked at her watch, rose, drank a glass of water, and dressed herself,
even to the putting on of an old grey waterproof with a hood to it, for
it was wet outside.

"She is going to meet her lover," thought Elizabeth. "I wish I could be
there to see that too, but I have seen enough."

She yawned and appeared to wake. "What, Beatrice, going out already in
this pouring rain?" she said, with feigned astonishment.

"Yes, I have slept badly and I want to get some air," answered Beatrice,
starting and colouring; "I suppose that it was the storm."

"Has there been a storm?" said Elizabeth, yawning again. "I heard
nothing of it--but then so many things happen when one is asleep of
which one knows nothing at the time," she added sleepily, like one
speaking at random. "Mind that you are back to say good-bye to Mr.
Bingham; he goes by the early train, you know--but perhaps you will
see him out walking," and appearing to wake up thoroughly, she raised
herself in bed and gave her sister one piercing look.

Beatrice made no answer; that look sent a thrill of fear through her.
Oh; what had happened! Or was it all a dream? Had she dreamed that she
stood face to face with Geoffrey in his room before a great darkness
struck her and overwhelmed her? Or was it an awful truth, and if a
truth, how came she here again? She went to the pantry, found a morsel
of bread and ate it, for faintness still pursued her. Then feeling
better, she left the house and set her face towards the beach.

It was a dreary morning. The gr