cap, and her brown hair was falling round a pale face.

"Janet--you know Captain Ellesborough and I had a long talk last night?"

Janet smiled.

"Of course I do. And of course I have my own thoughts about it!"

"I don't know what they are," said Rachel slowly. "But--I'd better tell
you--Captain Ellesborough asked me to marry him."

She paused.

"Did you think that would be news to any of us?" said Janet, laughing,
and then stopped. The sudden contraction of pain in Rachel's face, and
something like a sob startled her.

"Don't, Janet, please. I told him something--which made him
wonder--whether he did want to marry me after all."

Janet's heart gave an uncomfortable jump. A score of past conjectures and
misgivings rushed back upon her.

"What did you tell him?"

"What I see now I ought to have told you--as well as him--long ago.
Henderson is my maiden name. I was a married woman for three years. I
had a child which died. I divorced my husband, and he's still alive."

The colour had flamed back into her cheeks. Janet sat silent, her eyes
fixed on Rachel's.

"I did tell you I had a story, didn't I?" said Rachel insistently.

"You did. I took my chance. It was you who--who brought the action?"

"I brought the action. There was no defence. And the judge said--I'd been
awfully badly treated--it was no wonder I wanted--to get free. Well,
there it is. I'm sorry I deceived you. I'm sorry I deceived him."

"You didn't deceive me," said Janet. "I had practically guessed it."
She rose slowly, and going up to Rachel, she put her hands on her
shoulders,--

"Why didn't you tell me, you poor thing!" Her voice and eyes were full of
emotion--full of pity. But Rachel shrank away a little from her touch,
murmuring under her breath, "Because I wanted never to hear of it--or
think of it again." Then, after a pause, she added, "But if you want to
know more, I'll tell you. It's your right. My married name was Delane."

"Don't tell me any more!" said Janet peremptorily. "I don't want to hear
it. But you ought to be--quite frank--with _him_."

"I know that. Naturally--it was a great shock to him."

There was something very touching in her attitude. She stood there like a
shamefaced boy, in her quasi-male dress; and the contrast between her
strong young beauty, and the humility and depression of her manner
appealed with singular force to Janet's mind, so constantly and secretly
preoccupied with spiritual things. Rachel seeme