about it. Lord
Chandos," she added, "I like your wife, she was kindness itself to me.
We must mind one thing if I enter your house; I must be to you no more
than any other person in it--I must be a stranger--and you must never
even by one word allude to the past; you promise that, do you not?"

"I will promise everything and anything," he replied. "I will ask Madame
de Chandalle to introduce you to my mother--I should not have the nerve
for it."

"If she should recognize me there will be a scene," said Leone, with a
faint smile; "it seems to me that the eyes of hate are keener than the
eyes of love."

"She will not know you. I believe that she has forgotten even your name;
who would think of finding Leone in the brilliant actress for whose
friendship all men sigh? Why, Leone, forgive me for using the word--life
will be quite different to me if we are to be friends, if I may see your
face sometimes in the home that should have been yours. It will make all
the difference in the world, and I am absurdly happy at the bare thought
of it."

"I think our conference has lasted long enough," she said, rising. "You
think, then, that I should accept Lady Marion's invitation?"

"Yes, it will give us more opportunities of meeting, and will bring
about between Lady Marion and yourself a great intimacy," he said.

"Heaven send it may end well," she said, half sadly.

"Thank Heaven for its kindness," he replied, and then they left the
quiet conservatory, where the soft ripple of the scented fountain made
sweetest music.

Lord Chandos quitted her, much to his regret, and Leone sought out
Madame de Chandalle.

"I should like to ask you, madame, for one more introduction," she said.
"I should much like to know the Countess of Lanswell."

Nothing could exceed madame's delight and courtesy. She took Leone to
the blue saloon, as it was called, where the Countess of Lanswell sat in
state. She looked up in gratified surprise as the name of the great
singer was pronounced. If Leone felt any nervousness she did not show
it; there must be no hesitation or all would be lost. She raised her
eyes bravely to the handsome, haughty face of the woman who had spurned
her. In the one moment during which their eyes met, Leone's heart almost
stood still, the next it beat freely, for not even the faintest gleam of
recognition came into my lady's eyes.

But when they had been talking for some minutes, and the countess had
excelled herself in the