have foreseen such a thing? How could he tell?
he had asked himself, in mute stupefaction, when the news reached him.
What a cheat life was! What a fickle jade was Fortune!

Since the memorable day when Rachel had found means to lay the ghost
that haunted her he had made no sign.

"I hardly expected you would remember me," he said, catching at his
self-possession.

"I have a good memory," she said, aware that Miss Barker was listening
and that Hugh was bristling at her elbow. "And the little Spanish boy
whom you were so kind to, and who lodged just below me in Museum
Buildings, has not forgotten either. He still asks after the
'Cavalier.'"

"Mr. Tristram is positively blushing at being confronted with his good
deeds," said Sybell, intervening on discovering that the attention of
some of her guests had been distracted from herself. "Yes, darling"--to
her husband--"you take in Lady Jane. Mr. Scarlett, will you take in Miss
West?"

"I have been calling on your friend, Miss Gresley," said Hugh, after he
had overcome his momentary irritation at finding Mr. Harvey was on
Rachel's other side. "I did not know until her brother dined here last
night that she lived so near."

"Did not Mrs. Loftus tell you?" said Rachel, with a remembrance of
Sybell's remarks before dinner.

"She told me after I had mentioned my wish to go and see her. She even
implored me so repeatedly to go that I--"

"Nearly did not go at all."

"Exactly. But in this case I persevered because I am, or hope I am, a
friend of hers. But I was not rewarded."

"I thought you said you had seen her."

"Oh yes, I saw her, and I saw that she looked very ill. But I found it
impossible to have any conversation with her in the presence of Mr. and
Mrs. Gresley. Whenever I spoke to her Mr. Gresley answered, and
sometimes Mrs. Gresley also. In fact, Mr. Gresley considered the call as
paid to himself. Mrs. Loftus tells me he is much cleverer than his
sister, but I did not gain that impression. And after I had given tongue
to every platitude I could think of I had to take my leave."

"Hester ought to have come to the rescue."

"She did try. She offered to show me the short cut to Wilderleigh across
the fields. But unluckily--"

"I can guess what you are going to say."

"I am sure you can. Mr. Gresley accompanied us, and Miss Gresley turned
back at the first gate."

"You have my sympathy."

"I hope I have, for I have had a severe time of it. Mr. Gresley w