ce; he talked politics with her when she was gravely
inclined, and told her the news when she was in a good humor; he was
indefatigable and dignified at once, which is a rare combination; and he
thought his efforts well rewarded by a seat at Theo's side in their box
in the theatre, or by the privilege of handing her to her carriage, and
gaining a few farewell words as he bade her good-night. He was not like
the rest either. It was not entirely her beauty which had enchanted him,
though, like all Frenchmen, he was a passionate worshipper of the
beautiful. The sweet soul in her eyes had touched his heart. Her
ignorance had done more to strengthen it than anything she could have
done. There was not a spark of coquetry in her whole nature. She
listened to his poetic speeches, wondering but believing--wondering how
they could be true of her, yet trusting him and all the world too
seriously to accuse him of anything but partiality.

To the last day of his life Victor Maurien will not forget one quiet
evening, when he came to the hotel and found Theodora North by herself,
in their private parlor, reading an English letter by the blaze of a
candelabra. It had arrived that very day from Downport, and something in
it had touched her, for when she rose to greet him, her gipsy eyes were
mistily soft.

They began to draw near to each other that night. Half-unconsciously she
drifted into confiding to him the yearnings toward the home whose
shadows and sharpnesses absence had softened. It was singular how much
pleasanter everything seemed, now she looked back upon it in the past.
Downport was not an unpleasant place after all. She could remember times
when the sun shone upon the dingy little town and the wide-spread of
beach, and made it almost pretty.

"I am afraid I did not love them all enough," she said. "Lady
Throckmorton does not intend that I shall go there to remain again; but
if I were to go, I feel as if I could help them more--Pamela, you know,
and mamma. I want to send Joanna and Elin something, to show them that I
don't forget them at all. I think I should like to send them some pretty
dresses. Joanna is fair and she always wanted a pale-blue silk. Do you
think a pale-blue silk would be very expensive, M. Maurien?"

She started, and colored a little the next moment, recognizing the
oddity of her speech, and her little laugh was very sweet to hear.

"I forgot," she said. "How should you know, to be sure. Political men