lready enfeebled resolution.

"Go on; go on; go on!" she cried. "It's all lies, no doubt; but it's
sweet to listen to all the same."

He looked at her in surprise.

"Your love-words, I mean. They're all I've got to live for now. What
you can't find heart to say, invent. You've no idea what good it does
me."

"Mavis!" he cried reproachfully.

"It seems to give me life," she declared, to add after a few moments of
silence: "Situated as I am, they're like drops of water to a man dying
of thirst."

"But you're not going to die: you're going to live and be happy with
me!"

She looked at him questioningly, putting her soul into her eyes.

"But you must trust me," he continued.

"Haven't I already?" she asked.

He took no notice of her remark, but gave utterance to a platitude.

"There's no love without trust," he said.

"Say that again."

"There's no love without trust," he repeated. "What are you thinking
of?" he asked, as she did not speak.

A light kindled in her eyes; her face was aglow with emotion; her bosom
heaved convulsively.

"You ask me to trust you?" she said.

He nodded.

"Very well, then: I love you; I will."

"Mavis!" he cried.

"More, I'll prove it. You asked me to stay here with you. I refused. I
love you--I trust you. Do with me as you will."

"Mavis!"

"I distrusted you. I did wrong, I atone."

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

SNARES

The Sunday week after Mavis' meeting with Perigal at Dippenham, she
left the train at Paddington a few minutes after six in the evening.
She got a porter to wheel her luggage to the cloak-room, reserving a
small handbag for her use, which contained her savings.

She then made for the refreshment room, where she ordered and sipped a
cup of tea. She would have liked more, but as she had so much to do
with her money, she did not think she dare afford the threepence which
she would have to pay for another cup. As she rested for some moments
in the comparative seclusion of the refreshment room, she derived
satisfaction from the fact that she had got away from Melkbridge before
any suspicions had arisen of her condition. Upon her return to her
lodging after seeing Perigal, she had, at his instigation, written to
Mr Devitt, telling him that she would be leaving his employment in a
week's time. She gave no reason for throwing up her work, beyond saying
that the state of her health necessitated a change of occupation. She
had also given notice to Mrs Far