incipal actors in this
social tragedy. She went straight up to Nell, and took her hand and drew
her into her embrace, as if to shelter and succor her. With a faint cry,
Nell's head fell on Lady Wolfer's bosom. Lady Wolfer looked round, not
defiantly, but with the air of one facing death bravely.

"I will explain," she said. "It was not she who was going to elope with
Sir Archie Walbrooke. It was I!"

"No, no; you must not!" panted Nell.

The living circle drew closer, and listened and stared in breathless
silence.

"It was I!" said Lady Wolfer.

"You!" exclaimed Lady Luce. "Then Burden----"

"Burden lied," said Lady Wolfer. "I want to tell every one; it is due to
this saint, this dear girl, who sacrificed herself to me. I only heard
this morning from my husband that he had found a note which Sir Archie
had sent me, asking me to leave England with him. He placed this note on
a pedestal in my drawing-room. Both my husband and Nell saw it, not
knowing that the other had seen it. It never reached me; but this dear
girl kept the appointment which Sir Archie had made for the library the
next morning. She wanted to save me. I know, almost as if I had been
there, how she pleaded with him, how she strove for my honor. While they
were there my husband came upon them. The letter was not addressed to
me, and he leaned to the conclusion that it was intended for Nell. She
permitted him to make the hideous mistake, and, to save me, she left the
house with her reputation ruined--in his eyes, at least. Until this
morning he has never breathed a word of this to a soul. I am confident
that Sir Archie Walbrooke, who went away full of remorse and penitence,
has also kept silent. It was reserved for a woman to strike the blow
aimed at the honor and happiness of an innocent and helpless girl--a
girl so noble that she is ready to lay down her life's happiness and
honor rather than betray the friend she loves. Judge between these two,
between us three, if you will."

It was not a moment for cheering, but sudden exclamations burst from the
men, most of the women were in tears, and Nell was sobbing as she lay on
her friend's bosom.

Lady Luce alone remained smiling. Her face was white, her breath came in
quick, labored gasps.

"What a charming romance!" she exclaimed, with a forced sneer. "So
completely satisfactory!"

At the sound of her voice, the countess' spirit rose in true Anglo-Saxon
fashion. She checked her sobs, wiped her ey