nt. Under the circumstances the statement was
significant. "Mr. Hartly came to my father the other day," he went on.
Still no answer. "Possibly you knew it?" he persisted. She lifted her
eyes which had been fixed on the cover of a book that her fingers were
toying with, and said:--

"Yes."

Stephen waited to choose words which should not express too forcibly the
impetuous feeling that shone in his eyes and rang in his voice when he
spoke.

"Let me put a case to you," he said, "or, rather, not an indifferent
case, but our own, and hear how it sounds in plain English. How we were
married, if married we are, it is useless to speak of; how absolutely
nothing we are to one another it is unnecessary also to say. I
appreciate your efforts and your courtesy when I see so plainly that it
is with difficulty you can bring yourself even to speak a word to me."
Elizabeth glanced up a moment, and down again, and her fingers went on
idly turning the leaves of the book. "When I see what social powers you
have," he pursued, "I assure you that I shall regret it for you if fate
have denied you a better choice. But at all events" (constrainedly), "I
must thank you for the gracious and successful manner in which you have
kept suspicion from becoming certainty before time proves it so."

She looked fully at him this time, and smiled.

"Gratitude comes hard to you," she said. "There is no cause for it in
anything I have ever done. You may be sure it was not to please you at
all, but to gratify something in myself that demanded satisfaction. Now,
please explain to me what you mean by your extraordinary summary of
things we know too well, and how I have offended you when I am really
your friend--yours, and "--She stopped, a smile flitted over her face
and was gone; it revealed for the unnamed person a gentleness and an
affection that perhaps she did not care to have her tones betray.

"Yes, you have offended me," he said. "I have no right to comment on
your actions in general."

"None whatever."

"But what I do have a right to demand is an explanation from you of
conduct so strange as to be unaccountable."

She flushed a little.

"It's not pleasant," she answered, "when one has done the best that
opened up to be told that it's unaccountable conduct."

"Then it was you? I was sure of it." She looked at him earnestly.

"Why should there be any beating about the bush?" she answered. "I
should like it better if you need never have kn