ice, he has only one woman to look to. I am very, very
sorry that I cannot go my own way without giving you pain, and if only I
could think that by any act which it is in my power to do----"

"I don't know what you mean by going your own way, child; but I hope you
will come to a better mind before you take a decided step." Mrs. Hartley
was growing thoroughly alarmed.

"Indeed, I have come to the best, the only possible resolution; and the
question is, how soon I can be in London. We have been in Italy a long
time, have we not?"

"Eleven months."

"Do you wish to stay much longer?"

"I see very plainly, Lettice, that, if I did want to stay, it would end
in my being here alone. But I shall not let you travel by yourself. If
your interest in Italy has gone, so has mine. We will start on
Saturday."

Mrs. Hartley was sorely disappointed, and even angry with Lettice; but
she thought that at any rate she ought not to talk with her until they
were back again in London. And there was at least a hope that she would
be more prudent a week hence than she was to-day.

As for Lettice, she found it very hard to wait. If she had been alone
she would have left Florence within an hour of reading Sydney's letter,
for her heart was on fire with impatience.

She did not speak to Brooke Dalton again, except in the presence of her
friends; but after he and Edith had gone she wrote him another letter to
the address which he had given them. In this letter she begged him, as
kindly as she could, to consider her last answer as final. "Sydney's
note," she said, "has only strengthened my decision. Indeed, it has made
me ten times more decided. My heart is not mine to give. You will not
expect that I should say more than this. The best thing I can hope from
you is that you will judge me charitably, and that if others reproach me
you will not join in the chorus."

Poor Brooke Dalton kissed the letter quietly, and said nothing about it;
nor did he openly give utterance to the words which entered his mind in
reference to Sydney's intervention. Mrs. Hartley silently resolved to
see Sydney Campion as soon as she got back to London, and beg him to
reason with Lettice, and, if possible, bring her to a better mind. But
she was disappointed to find that Sydney was not in town. His marriage
had taken place in September and he had gone to Scotland with his wife.
She knew that he was on fairly good terms with Lettice, and had pressed
her to be presen