ssandra's perceptions that she was deathly pale.

"Why did you come?"

"I don't know."

"Was it just chance?"

Grizel's lip trembled.

"Cassandra, I loathe to preach; but I don't believe it _was_!"

"How did you get here?"

"I walked. It's the longest walk I've ever taken. I never came in by
the north gate before. I've never turned up this path. I just--came!"

"I see. It was a coincidence, which you are trying to turn into a
special guidance of Providence on my behalf. I'm sorry that I cannot
recognise it in that light. I wish with all my heart that you had
stayed away... What good do you suppose you are going to do?"

"The Lord knows," said Grizel, shrugging. The next moment, with a
startled air, she continued. "He _does_ know! I said that without
thinking, but it's true... Won't you let me help you, darling? I'm not
a bit shocked, you see. I knew before, and I'm not a chicken,--I'm
twenty-eight. I know that love doesn't work to order. I was horribly
afraid for you before that day on the cliff, and then of course I
_knew_!"

"How many people have you told?"

Grizel was silent. Cassandra moved her shoulders with an impatient
shrug.

"I beg your pardon. I didn't mean that. But--your husband?"

"Not one word."

"I thought you told him everything?"

"About myself I do. Not about friends."

"Thank you for that, at least," Cassandra said ungraciously. The next
moment she threw out her hands with a gesture of hopeless appeal. "Oh,
Grizel, I'll have to forgive you, for I need you so much, but it was
hard! You needn't have grudged us that little time... I could have
killed you for coming in just then. As you know everything, tell me
what we are to _do_?... I feel as if I were going mad... What are we
to do?"

"What does he suggest?"

"He asked me to go away with him to-night. I've told you, so now you
can go and warn Bernard. Perhaps Providence will throw you up against
him on the way home!"

Grizel mopped her eyes with the little handkerchief.

"Why sneer?" she asked softly. "It's bad enough, goodness knows,
without that to make it worse... And are you going, dear?"

The voice was so tranquil that Cassandra started in surprise.

"What would you say, if I said I was?"

"I think--at this moment, I rather expect that you will! I should have
said `Yes' myself at this point."

"Well, I didn't! I am stronger than you. I refused, because of the
boy. But you needn't