o people know it?'

'I haven't heard anything. Is it very bad?' Lady Davenant repeated.

'We don't know where Selina is--and her maid's gone.'

Lady Davenant looked at her visitor a moment. 'Lord, what an ass!' she
then ejaculated, putting the paper-knife into her book to keep her
place. 'And whom has she persuaded to take her--Charles Crispin?' she
added.

'We suppose--we suppose----' said Laura.

'And he's another,' interrupted the old woman. 'And who
supposes--Geordie and Ferdy?'

'I don't know; it's all black darkness!'

'My dear, it's a blessing, and now you can live in peace.'

'In peace!' cried Laura; 'with my wretched sister leading such a life?'

'Oh, my dear, I daresay it will be very comfortable; I am sorry to say
anything in favour of such doings, but it very often is. Don't worry;
you take her too hard. Has she gone abroad?' the old lady continued. 'I
daresay she has gone to some pretty, amusing place.'

'I don't know anything about it. I only know she is gone. I was with her
last evening and she left me without a word.'

'Well, that was better. I hate 'em when they make parting scenes: it's
too mawkish!'

'Lionel has people watching them,' said the girl; 'agents, detectives, I
don't know what. He has had them for a long time; I didn't know it.'

'Do you mean you would have told her if you had? What is the use of
detectives now? Isn't he rid of her?'

'Oh, I don't know, he's as bad as she; he talks too horribly--he wants
every one to know it,' Laura groaned.

'And has he told his mother?'

'I suppose so: he rushed off to see her at noon. She'll be overwhelmed.'

'Overwhelmed? Not a bit of it!' cried Lady Davenant, almost gaily.
'When did anything in the world overwhelm her and what do you take her
for? She'll only make some delightful odd speech. As for people knowing
it,' she added, 'they'll know it whether he wants them or not. My poor
child, how long do you expect to make believe?'

'Lionel expects some news to-night,' Laura said. 'As soon as I know
where she is I shall start.'

'Start for where?'

'To go to her--to do something.'

'Something preposterous, my dear. Do you expect to bring her back?'

'He won't take her in,' said Laura, with her dried, dismal eyes. 'He
wants his divorce--it's too hideous!'

'Well, as she wants hers what is simpler?'

'Yes, she wants hers. Lionel swears by all the gods she can't get it.'

'Bless me, won't one do?' Lady Davenant asked. 'We shal