er
dinner.

Miss Stackpole immediately saw that our young lady had been "through"
something, and indeed the discovery demanded no great penetration. She
went straight up to her friend, who received her without a greeting.
Isabel's elation in having sent Caspar Goodwood back to America
presupposed her being in a manner glad he had come to see her; but at
the same time she perfectly remembered Henrietta had had no right to set
a trap for her. "Has he been here, dear?" the latter yearningly asked.

Isabel turned away and for some moments answered nothing. "You acted
very wrongly," she declared at last.

"I acted for the best. I only hope you acted as well."

"You're not the judge. I can't trust you," said Isabel.

This declaration was unflattering, but Henrietta was much too unselfish
to heed the charge it conveyed; she cared only for what it intimated
with regard to her friend. "Isabel Archer," she observed with equal
abruptness and solemnity, "if you marry one of these people I'll never
speak to you again!"

"Before making so terrible a threat you had better wait till I'm asked,"
Isabel replied. Never having said a word to Miss Stackpole about Lord
Warburton's overtures, she had now no impulse whatever to justify
herself to Henrietta by telling her that she had refused that nobleman.

"Oh, you'll be asked quick enough, once you get off on the Continent.
Annie Climber was asked three times in Italy--poor plain little Annie."

"Well, if Annie Climber wasn't captured why should I be?"

"I don't believe Annie was pressed; but you'll be."

"That's a flattering conviction," said Isabel without alarm.

"I don't flatter you, Isabel, I tell you the truth!" cried her friend.
"I hope you don't mean to tell me that you didn't give Mr. Goodwood some
hope."

"I don't see why I should tell you anything; as I said to you just now,
I can't trust you. But since you're so much interested in Mr. Goodwood I
won't conceal from you that he returns immediately to America."

"You don't mean to say you've sent him off?" Henrietta almost shrieked.

"I asked him to leave me alone; and I ask you the same, Henrietta." Miss
Stackpole glittered for an instant with dismay, and then passed to the
mirror over the chimney-piece and took off her bonnet. "I hope you've
enjoyed your dinner," Isabel went on.

But her companion was not to be diverted by frivolous propositions. "Do
you know where you're going, Isabel Archer?"

"Just now I'm go