erything you have brings in a swift
recompense. Talent, beauty, grace discounted every night. Oh! it must be
charming."

"I thought so once," answered Caroline, with a heavy sigh.

"Well, never trouble yourself to think about it again. If that lovely
woman has an iron will, you must get up one of steel; but here comes
Margaret. I suppose Mr. Closs is getting tired of staying out there in
the dark. Besides, Lady Hope will be frightened. Adieu, my friend; I
will manage to see you again."

CHAPTER XI.

LADY CLARA QUARRELS WITH HER STEPMOTHER.

Lady Hope had fainted, but with such deathly stillness that neither
Hepworth Closs nor Clara had been aware of it. She remained, after they
left the box, drooping sideways from her cushioned seat, with the cold
pallor of her face hid in the crimson shadows, and kept from falling by
the sides of the box, against which she leaned heavily.

No one observed this, for the whole audience was intensely occupied by
what was passing on the stage; and the pang of self-consciousness
returned to Rachael Closs in the utter solitude of a great crowd. She
opened her eyes wearily, as if the effort were a pain. Then a wild light
broke through their darkness. She cast a quick glance upon the stage and
over the crowd. Then turning to look for her companions, she found that
they were gone. A sense of relief came to the woman from a certainty
that she was alone. She leaned back against the side of the box in utter
depression. Her lips moved, her hands were tightly clasped--she seemed
in absolute terror.

What had Rachael Closs heard or seen to agitate her thus? That no one
could tell. The cause of those faint shudders that shook her from time
to time was known only to herself and her God.

When Hepworth and Lady Clara came back, Lady Hope rose, and gathering
her ermine cloak close to her throat, said that she was tired of the
confusion, and would go home, unless they very much wished to stay and
see Olympia.

They consented to go at once. The pallor of that beautiful face, as it
turned so imploringly upon them, was appeal enough.

On their way home Lady Clara told her stepmother of her visit behind the
scenes.

Rachael listened, and neither rebuked her for going nor asked questions;
but when Clara broke forth, in her impetuous way, exclaiming, "Oh, mamma
Rachael, you will help us! You will get this poor girl out of her
mother's power! You will let me ask her down to Oakhurst!" Racha