rifice in time. Alice Deringham
was not unduly vain, but she knew her power, and Alton had in his
silence betrayed himself again and again. Still, it seemed only
fitting that he should make the first advances, now the moment when she
might have done so had passed. She also fancied she understood the
motive which prompted his answer when her father spoke to him
respecting Carnaby.

"I can't go over now," he said. "Your lawyers and agents can look
after the place a little longer, and I needn't worry if you're content
with them. Anyway, all of it does not belong to me and we will see
what we can fix up between us when I go over by and by."

This was pleasant hearing to Deringham, who commenced to hope that he
would be able to give a satisfactory account of his stewardship when
the time came, and winced at the recollection of the folly which had
placed him in Hallam's grasp. Of late his health had given way again,
and that served as an excuse for remaining at Vancouver, which he had
scarcely the courage to leave.

Affairs were in this condition when Miss Deringham sat listening to the
conversation of other visitors in the house of a friend of Mrs. Forel's
one afternoon. Now and then a veiled allusion reached her, and at last
she glanced inquiringly at her hostess.

The lady smiled deprecatingly and shook her head. "It is really
indiscreet of Helen, but she seems to believe it is true," she said.
"These things do happen, even in the old country."

Alice Deringham laughed. "I am afraid I cannot controvert you if that
is uncomplimentary, because I don't know what you are alluding to."

Her hostess looked thoughtful. "Then you haven't heard it yet?" she
said. "Well, I am not the one to tell you, and it is quite possible
they haven't got the story correctly."

Miss Deringham was interested, but she asked no more questions, and had
changed her place when she once more heard a subdued voice she
recognized behind a great lacquered screen.

"One would be sorry for Hettie Forel, but her husband was always a
little unguarded. Opened his house to everybody, you know."

"It was the big bushman I saw there?" said another person, and Alice
Deringham felt a curious little quiver in her fingers as she waited the
answer.

"Yes. Hettie will feel it. She made such a fuss of him, but it mayn't
have been his fault altogether. He is quite a good-looking man, if he
is a trifle lame, and the girl may have thrown herself a