I went to you, Pauline,
humbly, not proudly. I prayed you to reveal the truth, and you treated
me with scorn. Can it be that one woman could be so cruel to another? If
you had but spoken half the truth you have now told me, I should have
believed you, and have gone away; I should have crushed down the love
that was rising in my heart, and in time I should have forgotten it. Now
it is too late. I love him, and I cannot lose him--dear Heaven, I cannot
lose him!"

She flung up her arms with a wild cry of despair. None ever suffered
more than did Pauline Darrell then.

"Oh, my sin," she moaned, "my grievous sin!"

She tried to soothe the unhappy woman, but Lady Darrell turned from her
with all the energy of despair.

"I cannot believe you," she cried; "it is an infamous plot to destroy
my happiness and to destroy me. Hark! There is Aubrey Langton's voice;
come with me and say before him what you have said to me."

CHAPTER XXXIX.

FACE TO FACE.

Captain Langton looked up in surprise not altogether unfounded, the
sight that met his eyes was so unusual.

Before him stood Lady Darrell, her face white as death, her lips
quivering with excitement, her superb dress of pink brocade all
disarranged, her golden hair falling over her beautiful shoulders--a
sight not to be forgotten; she held Pauline by the hand, and in all her
life Lady Darrell had never looked so agitated as now.

"Captain Langton," said Lady Darrell, "will you come here? I want you
most particularly."

It was by pure chance that she opened the library door--it was the one
nearest to her.

"Will you follow me?" she said.

He looked from one to the other with somewhat of confusion in his face.

"Miss Darrell!" he cried. "Why, I thought you were at Omberleigh!"

Pauline made no reply.

Lady Darrell held the library door open while they entered, and then she
closed it, and turned the key.

Captain Langton looked at her in wonder.

"Elinor," he said, "what does this mean? Are you going to play a tragedy
or a farce?"

"That will depend upon you," she answered; "I am glad and thankful to
have brought you and Miss Darrell face to face. Now I shall know the
truth."

The surprise on his face deepened into an angry scowl.

"What do you mean?" he demanded, sharply. "I do not understand."

It was a scene never to be forgotten. The library was dim with the
shadows of the autumn evening, and in the gloom Lady Darrell's pale pink
dress, golden