ear it; and if he never spoke to her at all, it would be
marked reprehension, which would be far better than sarcasm. He was
evidently conscious of her presence; for when, in her insatiable thirst,
she had drained her own supply of water, she found the little bottle
quietly exchanged for that before him. It was far on in the dinner
before Emily's attention was claimed by the gentleman on her other hand,
and then there was a space of silence before Captain Keith almost made
Rachel start, by saying--

"This has come about far more painfully than could have been expected."

"I thought you would have triumphed," she said.

"No, indeed. I feel accountable for the introduction that my sister
brought upon you."

"It was no fault of hers," said Rachel, sadly.

"I wish I could feel it so."

"That was a mere chance. The rest was my own doing."

"Aided and abetted by more than one looker-on."

"No. It is I who am accountable," she said, repeating Mr. Grey's words.

"You accept the whole?"

It was his usual, cool, dry tone; but as she replied, "I must," she
involuntarily looked up, with a glance of entreaty to be spared, and
she met those dark, grey, heavy-lidded eyes fixed on her with so much
concern as almost to unnerve her.

"You cannot," he answered; "every bystander must rue the apathy that let
you be so cruelly deceived, for want of exertion on their part."

"Nay," she said; "you tried to open my eyes. I think this would have
come worse, but for this morning's stroke."

"Thank you," he said, earnestly.

"I daresay you know more than I have been able to understand," she
presently added; "it is like being in the middle of an explosion,
without knowing what stands or falls."

"And lobster salad as an aggravation!" said he, as the dish successively
persecuted them. "This dinner is hard on you."

"Very; but my mother would have been unhappy if I had stayed away. It is
the leaving the poor child that grieves me. She is in a fearful state,
between sore throat, starvation, and blows."

The picture of the effect of the blows coming before Rachel at that
moment, perilled her ability even to sit through the dinner; but her
companion saw the suddening whitening of her cheek, and by a dexterous
signal at once caused her glass to be filled. Habit was framing her
lips to say something about never drinking wine; but somehow she felt
a certain compulsion in his look, and her compliance restored her. She
returned to the su