he
bank the day after to-morrow, unless you want to wear them again soon."

"No," she said. "They make such a fuss about them; and--well, they are
rather too much of a blaze for such a little woman as I am."

"Nonsense!" he said. "Here's the key."

He laid it on the dressing table, and she was about to take it up to
replace it in her purse, and put the purse in one of the small drawers
of the dressing table, when there came a knock at the door, and Burden
entered.

"I--I beg your ladyship's pardon," she faltered, drawing back.

"What is it?" asked the countess.

"I wanted to borrow some eau de Cologne for my lady," said Burden. "I
thought your ladyship had gone down, or I wouldn't----"

"Give her the eau de Cologne," said the countess to her maid. "Please
ask Lady Luce to keep it. I shall not want it."

Burden took the bottle and went out. On the other side of the door she
paused a moment and caught her breath. Chance, or the devil himself, was
working on Ted's behalf, for she had happened to enter the room at the
very moment the countess had put the key in the purse, and the purse in
the drawer. And all day Burden had been wondering how she should get
that key.

She went on after a moment or two, and Lady Luce looked up from her
chair in front of the dressing table, as Burden entered.

"Where have you been?" she asked sharply.

"I went to borrow some eau de Cologne, my lady," replied Burden.

"Well, please be quick; you know we are late. I will wear----" she
paused a moment. She wanted to look her best that night. The beauty
which had caught Drake in the past, the beauty which was to ensnare him
again, and win for her the Angleford coronet, must lack no advantage
dress could lend it. "The silver gray and the pearls, please," she
said, after a moment or two of consideration. "Why, what is the matter
with you?" she asked sharply, as she saw the reflection of Burden's face
in the glass. "Are you ill, or what?"

Burden tried to force the color to her face and keep her hands steady.

"I--I am not very well, my lady," she faltered. "I--I have had bad
news."

"Bad news! What news?" asked Lady Luce coldly.

"My--mother is very ill, my lady," replied Burden, on the spur of the
moment.

Lady Luce moved impatiently.

"It is a singular thing that persons of your class are always in some
trouble or other; you are either ill yourselves, or some of your
relations are dying. I am very sorry and all that, Burden,