that
many.

Tiara almost fell, clutching the footboard of the bed for support.

"How can any one possibly have such an opinion of Mr. Ellwood?" asked
Tiara, in tones of deepest injury.

Mrs. Crawford merely shrugged her shoulders.

"I have never met a nobler man," continued Tiara.

"Oh, some people have faith in the fellow," said Mrs. Crawford
sneeringly.

"You seem to have changed, Mrs. Crawford. It hasn't been so long since I
heard you speaking of Mr. Ellwood in the highest possible terms."

"We learn more of people from time to time and must revise our estimates
of them in keeping with our more extensive knowledge," replied Mrs.
Crawford.

"Be specific, Mrs. Crawford; Mr. Ellwood is a friend of mine," said
Tiara, now thoroughly aroused.

"Oh, if you are that much of a friend, you might not be competent to
weigh the evidence in the case," said Mrs. Crawford, smiling and arising
as if to go.

"Would you cast aspersions upon a person's character and treat the
matter so lightly?" asked Tiara, a flush of anger appearing on her face.

"Things other than moral blemishes inspire contempt sometimes. I do not
care to say more about the matter. Good night," said Mrs. Crawford.

Tiara went no further with her preparations for retiring. She stowed
away all of her possessions in her trunk and locked it. She then sat
down and wrote a note to Mrs. Crawford, thanking her for her many
courtesies and expressing regret that she found it beyond her power of
endurance to longer stay under her roof.

Tiara now went to the telephone in the hallway and called for a
carriage. It was not long in coming and she was soon being whirled in
the direction of Mrs. Crump's residence.

Mrs. Crump was glad to receive Tiara and she was again assigned to the
room in which she slept on the night of her arrival in Almaville. Tiara
did not go to bed, but rocked to and fro, anxious for day to break,
eager, so eager to see Ensal. At length the question crept into her
consciousness: "Why are you so enraged? Are you as anxious to see every
one whom you have defended as you are to see this one?"

"My God! I love the man!" said Tiara, rising from her chair and throwing
herself face downward across the bed. "Oh, I must never see him again.
He might read this awful, this maddening love in my eyes."

Early the next morning, Mrs. Crawford sent for Ensal.

"Mr. Ellwood, I wish you had been more frank with me," said Mrs.
Crawford.

"Please expla