e you sent that document
to Germany?"

Again there was a moment's silence. The expressive eyes of Madame M;
auunster seemed, however, half to break it.

"I will tell you--at Niagara!" she said.

She had hardly spoken when the door at the further end of the room
opened--the door upon which, some minutes previous, Eugenia had fixed
her gaze. Clifford Wentworth stood there, blushing and looking rather
awkward. The Baroness rose, quickly, and Acton, more slowly, did the
same. Clifford gave him no greeting; he was looking at Eugenia.

"Ah, you were here?" exclaimed Acton.

"He was in Felix's studio," said Madame Munster. "He wanted to see his
sketches."

Clifford looked at Robert Acton, but said nothing; he only fanned
himself with his hat. "You chose a bad moment," said Acton; "you had n't
much light."

"I had n't any!" said Clifford, laughing.

"Your candle went out?" Eugenia asked. "You should have come back here
and lighted it again."

Clifford looked at her a moment. "So I have--come back. But I have left
the candle!"

Eugenia turned away. "You are very stupid, my poor boy. You had better
go home."

"Well," said Clifford, "good night!"

"Have n't you a word to throw to a man when he has safely returned from
a dangerous journey?" Acton asked.

"How do you do?" said Clifford. "I thought--I thought you were"--and he
paused, looking at the Baroness again.

"You thought I was at Newport, eh? So I was--this morning."

"Good night, clever child!" said Madame Munster, over her shoulder.

Clifford stared at her--not at all like a clever child; and then, with
one of his little facetious growls, took his departure.

"What is the matter with him?" asked Acton, when he was gone. "He seemed
rather in a muddle."

Eugenia, who was near the window, glanced out, listening a moment. "The
matter--the matter"--she answered. "But you don't say such things here."

"If you mean that he had been drinking a little, you can say that."

"He does n't drink any more. I have cured him. And in return--he 's in
love with me."

It was Acton's turn to stare. He instantly thought of his sister; but
he said nothing about her. He began to laugh. "I don't wonder at his
passion! But I wonder at his forsaking your society for that of your
brother's paint-brushes."

Eugenia was silent a little. "He had not been in the studio. I invented
that at the moment."

"Invented it? For what purpose?"

"He has an idea of being romantic. He