hs of delight; the wideness of the sea satisfied her, its wildest
moods only breathed into her soul an ineffable calm.

In the course of a week the Pollokshields Fordyces also arrived at their
Coast residence, and there began to be a quite unprecedented amount of
friendly coming and going between the two families. It became evident
before long that George Fordyce appeared to find some great attraction
at The Anchorage, though in former years he had only presented himself
at rare intervals during the months his people were at the sea-side. And
those who looked on saw quite well how matters were drifting, and each
viewed it in a different light. The most unconscious, of course, was
Gladys herself. She knew that everybody was kind to her--George Fordyce,
perhaps, specially so. He could be a very gallant squire when he liked.
He was master of all the little attentions women love, and in his manner
towards Gladys managed to infuse a certain deference, not untouched by
tenderness, which she found quite gratifying. She had so long lived a
meagre, barren existence that she seemed almost greedy of the lovely and
pleasant things of life. She enjoyed wearing her beautiful gowns, living
in luxurious rooms, eating dainty food at a well-appointed table. In all
that there was nothing unnatural, it was but the inevitable reaction
after what she had gone through. She began to understand that life has
two sides, one for the rich and one for the poor, and she was glad,
with an honest, simple gladness, that she had been permitted to taste
the best last. She retained her simple, genuine manner; but her soul had
had its first taste of power, and found it surpassing sweet. Beauty and
riches had proved themselves valuable in her eyes, and there were times
when she looked back upon the old life with a shudder. In the
intoxication, of that first summer of her new life, memory of Walter
grew dim in her heart. She thought of him but seldom, never of her own
free will. Unconsciously she was learning a lesson which wealth and
power so arrogantly strive to teach--to put away from her all unpleasant
thoughts. Let us not blame her. She was very young, and experience has
to lead the human heart by many tortuous ways to full understanding. So
Gladys lived her happy, careless, girlish summer by the sea, enjoying it
to the full.

'Tom,' said Mrs. Fordyce to her husband one afternoon, as they sat at
the drawing-room window watching the young folks in the ga