ock of surprise.'

'Do you think it likely she is married?'

Mrs. Damerel pursed her lips and arched her eyebrows with so unpleasant
an effect on Nancy that she looked away.

'I have no means whatever of forming an opinion.'

'But there's no more fear for Horace,' said Nancy.

'I hope not--I think not. But my purpose in coming was to consult with
you about the poor boy. He has renounced me; he won't answer my
letters; and I am so dreadfully afraid that a sort of despair--it sounds
ridiculous, but he is so very young--may drive him into reckless living.
You have taken part with him against me, I fear--'

'No, I haven't. I told him I was quite sure the girl had only herself to
blame, whatever happened.'

'How kind of you!' Mrs. Damerel sank her voice to a sort of cooing,
not unmelodious, but to Nancy's ear a hollow affectation. 'If we
could understand each other! I am so anxious for your dear brother's
happiness--and for yours, believe me. I have suffered greatly since he
told me I was his enemy, and cast me off.'

Here sounded a note of pathos which impressed the critical listener.
There was a look, too, in Mrs. Damerel's eyes quite unlike any that
Nancy had yet detected.

'What do you wish him to do?' she asked. 'If I must tell you the truth,
I don't think he'll get any good in the life of society.'

Society's representative answered in a tone of affectionate frankness:

'He won't; I can see that. I don't wish him to live idly. The
question is, What ought he to do? I think you know a gentleman of his
acquaintance, Mr. Crewe?'

The question was added rather abruptly, and with a watchful gaze.

'I know him a little.'

'Something has been said, I believe, about Horace investing money in Mr.
Crewe's business. Do you think it would be advisable?'

Surprise kept Nancy silent.

'Is Mr. Crewe trustworthy? I understand he has been in business for
himself only a short time.'

Nancy declared herself unable to judge Mr. Crewe, whether in private
or in commercial life. And here she paused, but could not refrain from
adding the question whether Mrs. Damerel had personal knowledge of him.

'I have met him once.'

Immediately, all Nancy's suspicions were revived. She had felt a desire
to talk of intimate things, with mention of her mother's name; but the
repulsion excited in her by this woman's air of subtlety, by looks,
movements, tones which she did not understand, forbade it. She could
not speak with satisfac