d,
clasping the diamond-studded bracelets on her perfect arms. "I shall
be heartily glad when I am Rex Lyon's wife. I shall soon tell him,
then, in pretty plain words, I am not at his beck and call any longer.
Come to him instantly, indeed! I shall certainly do no such thing,"
she muttered.

"Did you speak, mademoiselle?" asked the maid.

"No," replied Pluma, glancing at the little jeweled watch that
glittered in its snow-white velvet case. She took it up with a
caressing movement. "How foolish I was to work myself up into such a
fury of excitement, when Rex sent for me to present me with the
jewels!" she laughed, softly, laying down the watch, and taking up an
exquisite jeweled necklace, admired the purity and beauty of the soft,
white, gleaming stones.

The turret-bell had pealed the hour of eight; she had yet half an
hour.

She never could tell what impulse prompted her to clasp the shining
gems around her white throat, even before she had removed her
dressing-robe.

She leaned back dreamily in her cushioned chair, watching the effect
in the mirror opposite.

Steadfastly she gazed at the wondrous loveliness of the picture she
made, the dark, lustrous eyes, gleaming with unwonted brilliancy, with
their jetty fringe; the rich, red lips, and glowing cheeks.

"There are few such faces in the world," she told herself triumphantly.

Those were the happiest moments proud, peerless Pluma Hurlhurst was
ever to know--"before the hour should wane the fruition of all her
hopes would be attained."

No feeling of remorse stole over her to imbitter the sweets of her
triumphant thoughts.

She had lived in a world of her own, planning and scheming, wasting
her youth, her beauty, and her genius, to accomplish the one great
ultimatum--winning Rex Lyon's love.

She took from her bosom a tiny vial, containing a few white, flaky
crystals. "I shall not need this now," she told herself. "If Lester
Stanwick had intended to interfere he would have done so ere this; he
has left me to myself, realizing his threats were all in vain; yet I
have been sore afraid. Rex will never know that I lied and schemed to
win his love, or that I planned the removal of Daisy Brooks from his
path so cleverly; he will never know that I have deceived him, or the
wretched story of my folly and passionate, perilous love. I could not
have borne the shame and the exposure; there would have been but one
escape"--quite unconsciously she slid the vial int