ely passed
his finger down her delicate cheek with a tenderly caressing gesture, as
if to make up for the previous hardness of his tone. Kitty shrank away
from him, but he only smiled and continued softly: "Those pretty eyes
must not be dimmed by want of sleep. Go to bed, _ma belle_, and dream of
me."

"Let me stay for a little while," entreated Kitty. "If Mrs. Samson comes
in half-an-hour I shall not be tired. Just till then, Hugo."

"Not at all, my little darling." His tone was growing quite playful, and
he even imprinted a light kiss upon her cheek as he went on. "I will
wait here myself until Samson comes, and if she is not better I will
summon Mrs. Shairp. Will that not satisfy you?"

"Why should you stay?" said Kitty, in a whisper. A look of dread had
come into her eyes.

"Why should I not?" smiled Hugo. "Aunt Margaret likes to have me with
her, and she is not likely to want anything just now. Run away, my fair
Kitty. I will call you if I really need help."

What did Kitty suspect? She turned white and suddenly put her arms round
her husband's neck, bringing his beautiful dark face down to her own.

"Let me stay," she murmured in his ear. "I am afraid. I don't know
exactly what I am afraid of; but I want to stay. I can't leave her
to-night."

He put her away from him almost roughly. A sinister look crossed his
face.

"You are a little fool: you always were," he said; fiercely. Then he
tried to regain the old smoothness of tongue which so seldom failed him;
but this time he found it difficult. "You are nervous," he said. "You
have been sitting in a sick-room too long: I must not let you over-tire
yourself. You will be better when we leave Netherglen. Go and dream of
blue skies and sunny shores: we will see my native land together, Kitty,
and forget this desert of a place. There, go now. I will take care of
Aunt Margaret."

He put her out at the door, still with the silky, caressing manner that
she distrusted, still with the false smile stereotyped upon his face.
Then he went back into the dressing-room and closed the door.

Kitty went to her own room, and changed her evening dress for a
dressing-gown of soft, dark red cashmere which did not rustle as she
moved. She was resolved against going to bed, at any rate until Hugo had
left Mrs. Luttrell's room. She sat down and waited.

The clock struck eleven. She could bear the suspense no longer. She went
out into the passage and listened at the door of Mrs