ife's parties. The visitor
answered agreeably, with a touch of merriment that seemed to indicate a
soul at ease with itself and with the world.

But here Mary all at once came to herself, and was aware that she was
in quite a false position. She withdrew therefore to the farthest
corner, sat down, closed her ears with the palms of her hands, and
waited.

She had sat thus for a long time, not weary, but occupied with such
thoughts as could hardly for a century or two cross the horizon line of
such a soul as Mr. Redmain's, even if he were at once to repent, when
she heard a loud voice calling her name from a distance. She raised her
head, and saw the white, skin-drawn face of Mr. Redmain grinning at her
from the open door. When he spoke again, his words sounded like
thunder, for she had removed her hands from her ears.

"I fancy you've had a dose of it!" he said.

As he spoke, she rose to her feet, her countenance illumined both with
righteous anger and the tender shine of prayer. Her look went to what
he had of a heart, and the slightest possible color rose to his face.

"Gone a step too far, damn it!" he murmured to himself. "There's no
knowing one woman by another!"

"I see!" he said; "it's been a trifle too much for you, and I don't
wonder! You needn't believe a word I said about myself. It was all hum
to make the villain show his game."

"I have not heard a word, Mr. Redmain," she said with indignation.

"Oh, you needn't trouble yourself!" he returned. "I meant you to hear
it all. What did I put you there for, but to get your oath to what I
drew from the fellow? A fine thing if your pretended squeamishness ruin
my plot! What do you think of yourself, hey?--But I don't believe it."

He looked at her keenly, expecting a response, but Mary made him none.
For some moments he regarded her curiously, then turned away into the
study, saying:

"Come along. By Jove! I'm ashamed to say it, but I half begin to
believe in you. I did think I was past being taken in, but it seems
possible for once again. Of course, you will return to Mrs. Redmain now
that all is cleared up."

"It is impossible," Mary answered. "I can not live in a house where the
lady mistrusts and the gentleman insults me."

She left the room, and Mr. Redmain did not try to prevent her. As she
left the house she burst into tears; and the fact Mewks carried to his
master.

The man was the more careful to report everything about Mary, that
there wa