away to his room. It was nearly time to dress for dinner.

Mrs. Aylmer always expected her adopted son to help her to receive her
guests, but Trevor made no attempt to get into his evening suit. His
valet knocked at the door, but he dismissed him.

"I don't want your services to-night, Johnson," said the young man.

Johnson withdrew.

"It is all horrible," thought Trevor; "all this wealth and luxury for me
and all the roughness for her, poor girl! But why should I think so much
about her as I do? Why do I hate that story, clever as it is? The story
is not like her. It hurts me to think that she could have written it. It
is possible that I"--he started: his heart beat more quickly than was
its wont--"is it possible," he repeated softly, under his breath, "that
I am beginning to like her too much? Surely not too much! Suppose that
is the way out of the difficulty?" He laughed aloud, and there was
relief in the sound.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

A TETE-A-TETE.

Kitty Sharston, in the softest of white dresses, was playing Trevor's
accompaniments at the grand piano. He had a beautiful voice--a very rich
tenor. Kitty herself had a sweet and high soprano. The two now sang
together. The music proceeded, broken now and then by snatches of
conversation. No one was specially listening to the young pair, although
some eyes were watching them.

In a distant part of the room Sir John Wallis and Mrs. Aylmer were
having a tete-a-tete.

"I like him," said Sir John. "You are lucky in having secured so worthy
an heir for your property."

"You don't like him better than I like your adopted child, Miss
Sharston," was Mrs. Aylmer's low answer.

"Ay, she is a sweet girl--no one like her in the world," said Sir John.
"I almost grudge her to her father, much as I love him. We were comrades
on the battle-field, you know. Perhaps he has told you that story."

"I have heard it, but not from him," said Mrs. Aylmer, with a smile.
"Your friendship for each other is quite of the David and Jonathan
order. And so, my good friend"--she laid her white hand for an instant
on Sir John's arm--"you are going to leave your property to your
favourite Kitty?"

Sir John frowned; then he said shortly: "I see no reason for denying the
fact. Kitty Sharston, when it pleases God to remove me, will inherit my
wealth."

"She is a sweet, very sweet girl," replied Mrs. Aylmer. She glanced down
the room; there was significance in her eyes.

Sir John follo