attractive and more desirable than ever. The
mystery surrounding her in some way glorified her, and he dimly
perceived that so it must have been for others.

"How did you ever bear the Bruton Street life?" he said, presently, in
a low voice of wonder. "Lady Henry knew?"

"Oh yes!"

"And the Duchess?"

"Yes. She is a connection of my mother's."

Warkworth's mind went back to the Moffatts. A flush spread slowly over
the face of the young officer. It was indeed an extraordinary imbroglio
in which he found himself.

"How did Lord Lackington take it?" he asked, after a pause.

"He was, of course, much startled, much moved. We had a long talk.
Everything is to remain just the same. He wishes to make me an
allowance, and, if he persists, I suppose I can't hurt him by refusing.
But for the present I have refused. It is more amusing to earn one's own
living." She turned to him with a sharp brightness in her black eyes.
"Besides, if Lord Lackington gives me money, he will want to give me
advice. And I would rather advise myself."

Warkworth sat silent a moment. Then he took a great resolve.

"I want to speak to you," he said, suddenly, putting out his hand to
hers, which lay on her knee.

She turned to him, startled.

"I want to have no secrets from you," he said, drawing his breath
quickly. "I told you lies one day, because I thought it was my duty to
tell lies. Another person was concerned. But now I can't. Julie!--you'll
let me call you so, won't you? The name is already"--he hesitated; then
the words rushed out--"part of my life! Julie, it's quite true, there is
a kind of understanding between your little cousin Aileen and me. At
Simla she attracted me enormously. I lost my head one day in the woods,
when she--whom we were all courting--distinguished me above two or three
other men who were there. I proposed to her upon a sudden impulse, and
she accepted me. She is a charming, soft creature. Perhaps I wasn't
justified. Perhaps she ought to have had more chance of seeing the
world. Anyway, there was a great row. Her guardians insisted that I had
behaved badly. They could not know all the details of the matter, and I
was not going to tell them. Finally I promised to withdraw for
two years."

He paused, anxiously studying her face. It had grown very white, and, he
thought, very cold. But she quickly rose, and, looking down upon
him, said:

"Nothing of that is news to me. Did you think it was?"

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