Recalling his intent
look of the night before, the wonder struck chill to her heart. Yes, she
was thankful that he had gone; but it would be horribly hard to meet him
again after she and Bertrand had said good-bye. Aunt Philippa's
departure, eagerly though she had anticipated it, would make it harder.
Very soon Noel also would be gone, and they would be alone together. How
would she keep her secret then? How hide her soul from those grave, keen
eyes that probed so deeply?

Ah! but he trusted her; he trusted her! Back to the old sheet-anchor flew
her whirling thoughts. His faith in her was invincible, unassailable. It
kept her safe. It sheltered her from every danger. It was her single
safeguard in temptation; without it she would be lost.

She swallowed the lump in her throat, and leaned from the window to give
her brother the instructions he awaited.

Turning back into the room, she found a note in her husband's handwriting
lying on her table. She took it up.

"I do not forbid you to see Bertrand," it ran, "though I think you would
be wiser not to do so. I have already taken leave of him. He refuses to
be open with me, so there is no more to be said. It is by his own wish
that he is leaving to-day. As I said to you last night, I shall take no
legal steps against him, but that does not alter the fact that he is a
criminal, and for that reason your friendship with him must cease. I am
sorry, but it is inevitable. I think you will see it for yourself by and
bye, but till then my prohibition must be enough. I cannot be disobeyed
in this matter. Bear it in mind, dear, and believe that, even though I
may seem hard, I am acting for your welfare, which is more to me than
anything else on earth.

"Yours,
TREVOR."

Her face was white and strained as she read the note through. She seemed
to hear her husband's quiet voice in every sentence. Never till that
moment had she fully realized the fact that he had the right thus to
guide and restrain her actions. Never till that moment had she found her
will in direct opposition to his. A sudden passion of rebellion swept
upon her, possessed her. It was intolerable, impossible; she could not
submit to the mandate.

To give up her friend--the dear knight of her girlhood's dreams--to see
him never again, to close her heart to him, to shut out the very memory
of him, to take up her life without him--no, never, never, never! Her
throbbing heart cried out against it. It was not to be