e was plucking at the blue-and-white fringe of the
tablecloth with nervous fingers.

What did he mean--that he might have written her a kinder letter--when
she always remembered it as one of the dearest she had ever received?

He went on again--

"It hurt me more than you'll ever know." There was a sort of
self-satisfaction in his voice. "It took me a long time to forget you,
Lallie, and then, just as I was beginning, I saw you at the
theatre--in the stalls ... with Mellowes." His brows met above his
handsome eyes. "Mellowes wasn't long picking you up," he added
jealously.

Her lip quivered, but she did not raise her eyes.

"You saw me, too, didn't you?" he persisted. "I know you did, because
Mellowes came round afterwards and cursed me to all eternity." He
laughed. "I should have made a point of seeing you the next day if it
hadn't been for his confounded interference," he went on. "He told me
to get out of London and leave you alone." He bent towards her a
little. "What is Mellowes to you?" he asked her deliberately.

She raised her eyes now, and somehow it seemed as if, in the last few
moments, the man she had known and loved had changed into a
stranger--some one whom she had never seen before, whom she hoped
never to see again.

She forced her lips to smile; she felt at that moment she would die
rather than let him see how she was suffering, or guess how she had
suffered in the past.

"He's been kind to me," she said voicelessly. "That's all."

Raymond made a little, inarticulate sound.

"He's got me to thank for ever getting to know you," he said. "I gave
him your address and asked him to take you out a bit if he fancied
it.... I asked him to be kind to you."

The hands in her lap twitched convulsively.

"If I'd had one tenth of his beastly money," Raymond said then
savagely, "we shouldn't be sitting here now as if we were strangers--as
if ... Lallie--do you remember the good time we used to have----"

"I remember everything." He bent closer.

"I never cared for any woman in all my life but you. It's cursed hard
luck." He sighed. "You know I'm married?" he asked abruptly.

"Oh yes!" The words came stiffly.

His eyes searched her white face jealously.

"You don't seem to care. I've often wondered if you knew--and if you
minded!" He sat staring before him, and there was a little smile in
his eyes. "We do things in style now, I can tell you," he said with
sudden change of voice. "She's as rich as