reason: just for myself. But why did not he tell me so
before--before I fell a second time? It is all hopeless now, of course;
and yet is it hopeless? Perhaps Maurice Trevor is the kind of man who
would forgive. I wonder!"

She looked up at him as the thought came to her, and his eyes met hers.

"What are you thinking about?" he said. They had been talking a lot of
commonplaces; now his voice dropped; if he could, he would have taken
her hand. They were as much alone in that crowd as though they had been
the only people in the room.

"What are you thinking of?" he repeated.

"Of you," said Florence.

"Perhaps you are sorry for some of the things you said this morning?"

"I am sorry," she answered gravely, "that I was obliged to say them."

"But why were you obliged?"

"I have a secret; it was because of that secret I was obliged."

"You will tell it to me, won't you?"

"I cannot."

Trevor turned aside. He did not speak at all for a moment.

"I must understand you somehow," he said then; "you are surrounded by
mystery, you puzzle me, you pique my curiosity. I am not curious about
small things as a rule, but this is not a small thing, and I have a
great curiosity as to the state of your heart, as to the state of
your--"

"My morals," said Florence slowly; "of my moral nature--you are not sure
of me, are you?"

"I am sure that, bad or good--and I know you are not bad--you are the
only woman that I care for. May I come and see you to-morrow?"

"Don't talk any more now; you upset me," said Florence.

"May I come and see you to-morrow?"

"Yes."

"Remember, if I come, I shall expect you to tell me everything?"

"Yes."

"You will?"

"I am not certain; I can let you know when you do come."

"Thank you; you have lifted a great weight from my heart."

A moment later Franks appeared with a very learned lady, a Miss
Melchister, who asked to be introduced to Florence.

"I have a crow to pluck with you, Miss Aylmer," she said.

"What is that?" asked Florence.

"How dare you give yourself and your sisters away? Do you know that you
were very cruel when you wrote that extremely clever paper in the
_General Review_?"

"I don't see it," replied Florence. Her answers were lame. Miss
Melchister prepared herself for the fray.

"We will discuss the point," she said. "Now, why did you say--"

Trevor lingered near for a minute. He observed that Florence's cheeks
had turned pale, and he thought that for such