rt to Miss Burgoyne. There were reasons which he could hardly
define; he only knew that the clicking of the turnstile on the stair was
an alarming sound, and that he regarded each new group of visitors, as
they came into the room, with a furtive apprehension.

"Oh, very well," Miss Burgoyne said, at length, "let us go." And on the
staircase she again said: "What is it? Are you afraid of meeting the
mamma of some girl you've jilted? Or some man to whom you owe money for
cards? Ah, Master Lionel, when are you going to reform and lead a steady
and respectable life?"

He breathed more freely when he was outside; here, in the crowd, if he
met any one to whom he did not wish to speak, he could be engaged with
his companion and pass on without recognition. He proposed to Miss
Burgoyne that they should walk home, by way of Piccadilly and Park Lane,
and that young lady cheerfully assented. It was quite a pleasant
afternoon, for London in midwinter. The setting sun shone with a
dull-copper lustre along the fronts of the tall buildings, and over the
trees of the Green Park hung clouds that were glorified by the
intervening red-hued mists. The air was crisp and cold--what a blessing
it was to be able to breathe!

Lionel was silent and absorbed; he only said, "Yes?" "Really!" "Indeed!"
in answer to the vivacious chatter of his companion, who was in the most
animated spirits. His brows were drawn down; his look was more sombre
than it ought to have been, considering who was with him. Perhaps he was
thinking of the crowded rooms they had recently left, and of the friends
who might now be arriving there, from whom he had voluntarily isolated
himself. Had they, had any one of them, counselled him to keep within
his own sphere? Well, he had taken that advice; here he was--walking
with Miss Burgoyne!

All of a sudden that young lady stopped and turned to the window of a
jeweller's shop; and of course he followed. No wonder her eyes
had been attracted; here were all kinds of beautiful things and
splendors--tiaras, coronets, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings,
bangles, brooches--set with all manner of precious stones, the clear,
radiant diamond, the purple amethyst, the sea-green emerald, the mystic
opal, the blue-black sapphire, the clouded pearl. Her raptured vision
wandered from tray to tray, but it was a comparatively trifling article
that finally claimed her attention--a tiny finger-ring set with small
rubies and brilliants.