sition--even of him! Tell me!"

"I find you well, prosperous, and happy," he said, with a faint smile.

"Is that all? And how do I look?"

She turned her still youthful, mischievous face towards him in the
moonlight. The witchery of her blue eyes was still there as of old, the
same frank irresponsibility beamed from them; her parted lips seemed to
give him back the breath of his youth. He started, but she did not.

"Susy, dear!"

It was her husband's voice.

"I quite forgot," the Senator went on, as he drew the curtain aside,
"that you are engaged with a friend; but Miss Faulkner is waiting to say
good-night, and I volunteered to find you."

"Tell her to wait a moment," said Susy, with an impatience that was as
undisguised as it was without embarrassment or confusion.

But Miss Faulkner, unconsciously following Mr. Boompointer, was already
upon them. For a moment the whole four were silent, although perfectly
composed. Senator Boompointer, unconscious of any infelicity in his
interruption, was calmly waiting. Clarence, opposed suddenly to the
young girl whom he believed was avoiding his recognition, rose, coldly
imperturbable. Miss Faulkner, looking taller and more erect in the long
folds of her satin cloak, neither paled nor blushed, as she regarded
Susy and Brant with a smile of well-bred apology.

"I expect to leave Washington to-morrow, and may not be able to call
again," she said, "or I would not have so particularly pressed a
leave-taking upon you."

"I was talking with my old friend, General Brant," said Susy, more by
way of introduction than apology.

Brant bowed. For an instant the clear eyes of Miss Faulkner slipped
icily across his as she made him an old-fashioned Southern courtesy,
and, taking Susy's arm, she left the room. Brant did not linger, but
took leave of his host almost in the same breath. At the front door a
well-appointed carriage of one of the Legations had just rolled into
waiting. He looked back; he saw Miss Faulkner, erect and looking like a
bride in her gauzy draperies, descending the stairs before the waiting
servants. He felt his heart beat strangely. He hesitated, recalled
himself with an effort, hurriedly stepped from the porch into the path,
as he heard the carriage door close behind him in the distance, and then
felt the dust from her horse's hoofs rise around him as she drove past
him and away.

CHAPTER III.

Although Brant was convinced as soon as he left the