led upon Mrs.
Carnaby--but not often, she thought.

'No?' threw out Mrs. Strangeways. 'I fancied he was there a good deal;
I don't quite know why.'

'Have you met him there?'

'No. It's quite a long time since I called--one has so many people to
see.'

Alma knew that Sibyl was now holding aloof from Mrs. Strangeways, and
it seemed not improbable that this had excited some ill-feeling in the
latter. But her own uneasiness regarding Sibyl's relations with
Redgrave, uneasiness never quite subdued; made her quick to note, and
eager to explore, any seeming suspicion on that subject in another's
mind. Mrs. Strangeways was a lover of scandal, a dangerous woman,
unworthy of confidence in any matter whatsoever. Common prudence, to
say nothing of loyalty to a friend, bade Alma keep silence; but the
subtly-interrogating smile was fixed upon her; hints continued to fall
upon her ear, and an evil fascination at length compelled her to speak.

'You know,' she said, as if mentioning an unimportant piece of news,
'that Mr. Redgrave has joined Mr. Carnaby in business?'

The listener's face exhibited a surprise of which there was no
mistaking the sincerity. Her very features seemed to undergo a change
as the smile vanished from them; they became on the instant hard and
old, lined with sudden wrinkles, the muscles tense, every line
expressive of fierce vigilance.

'In business?--what business?'

'Oh, I thought you would have heard of it. Perhaps Mr. Redgrave doesn't
care to have it known.'

'My dear, I am discretion itself.'

Everything was told, down to the last detail of which Alma had any
knowledge. As she listened and questioned, Mrs. Strangeways resumed her
smiling manner, but could not regain the perfect self-command with
which she had hitherto gossiped. That she attached great importance to
this news was evident, and the fact of its being news to her brought
fresh trouble into Alma's thoughts.

'How very interesting!' exclaimed Mrs. Strangeways at length. 'Another
instance of Mr. Redgrave's kindness to his friends. Of course, it was
done purely out of kindness, and that is why he doesn't speak of it.
Quite amusing, isn't it, to think of him as partner in a business of
that kind. I wonder whether----'

She broke off with a musing air.

'What were you wondering?' asked Alma, whose agitation increased every
moment, though the seeming tendency of her companion's words was to
allay every doubt.

'Oh, only whether it