there, and she looked over the gate at the geraniums. She did
not ask him to come in; but, on the other hand, keeping the gate closed,
she made no movement to leave him. The Casino was now quite out of
sight, and the whole place was perfectly still. Suddenly, turning her
eyes upon Bernard with a certain strange inconsequence--

"I have not seen you here before," she observed.

He gave a little laugh.

"I suppose it 's because I only arrived this morning. I think that if I
had been here you would have noticed me."

"You arrived this morning?"

"Three or four hours ago. So, if the remark were not in questionable
taste, I should say we had not lost time."

"You may say what you please," said Angela, simply. "Where did you come
from?"

Interrogation, now it had come, was most satisfactory, and Bernard
was glad to believe that there was an element of the unexpected in his
answer.

"From California."

"You came straight from California to this place?"

"I arrived at Havre only yesterday."

"And why did you come here?"

"It would be graceful of me to be able to answer--'Because I knew you
were here.' But unfortunately I did not know it. It was a mere chance;
or rather, I feel like saying it was an inspiration."

Angela looked at the geraniums again.

"It was very singular," she said. "We might have been in so many places
besides this one. And you might have come to so many places besides this
one."

"It is all the more singular, that one of the last persons I saw in
America was your charming friend Blanche, who married Gordon Wright. She
did n't tell me you were here."

"She had no reason to know it," said the girl. "She is not my friend--as
you are her husband's friend."

"Ah no, I don't suppose that. But she might have heard from you."

"She does n't hear from us. My mother used to write to her for a while
after she left Europe, but she has given it up." She paused a moment,
and then she added--"Blanche is too silly!"

Bernard noted this, wondering how it bore upon his theory of a spiteful
element in his companion. Of course Blanche was silly; but, equally of
course, this young lady's perception of it was quickened by Blanche's
having married a rich man whom she herself might have married.

"Gordon does n't think so," Bernard said.

Angela looked at him a moment.

"I am very glad to hear it," she rejoined, gently.

"Yes, it is very fortunate."

"Is he well?" the girl asked. "Is he happy?"

"