, glancing down but once upon her. Had the ride before me been
one of miles I should have gone on in the same mechanical way, for my
very being was petrified. Rage, fear, sorrow and despair, all seemed
like dreams to me. I wondered that I had ever felt anything, and stared
on and on at the blue sky before me, conscious of but one haunting
thought that repeated itself again and again in my brain--that her power
lay not in her eyes, as I had always been assured, but in those strange
curves about her mouth. For her eyes were closed now, and yet I was
coldly conscious of the fact that she had never looked more beautiful or
more fitted to move a man, if a man had any heart left to be moved.

"The stopping of the carriage before the great door of Miss Dudleigh's
house roused me to the necessity for action.

"'I must carry you in,' I whispered. 'I beg your pardon for it, but it
is necessary to the farce.' And following up my words by action, I
lifted her from the seat, cold and unresponsive as a stone, and carried
her into the house and set her down before the astonished eyes of such
servants as had remained to guard the house in our absence.

"'Miss Leighton has not been married,' I cried. 'She was taken ill on
the way to church, and I have brought her back. She needs no
attendance.' And I waved them all back, for their startled, gaping
countenances infuriated me, and threatened to shatter the dreadful
calmness which was my only strength.

"As they disappeared, murmuring and peering, Miss Dudleigh entered. I
gave her one glance and dropped my eyes. She and I could not bear each
other's looks yet. Meantime Marah stood erect in the center of the hall,
her face pale, her lips set, her eyes fixed upon vacancy. Not a word
passed our three mouths. At last a petulant murmur broke the dreadful
silence, and Marah, tossing her head in disdain, turned away before our
eyes and began to mount the stairs.

"I felt my blood, which for many minutes had seemed at a standstill,
pour with a rush through vein and artery, and darting to her side, I
caught her by the hand and held her to her place.

"'You shall not go up,' I cried, 'till you and I have understood each
other. You have refused to marry me to-day. Was it some caprice that
moved you, or--' I paused and looked behind me; Miss Dudleigh had shrunk
from sight into one of the rooms--'or because you saw Edwin Urquhart in
the crowd and followed his commanding gesture?'

"The hand whic