ng
together for a moment, rose and followed Mrs. Da Souza. Trent stole
from his place and out into the garden. With footsteps which were steady
enough now he crossed the velvety lawns, and plunged into the shrubbery.
Then he began to laugh softly as he walked. They were all duped! They
had accepted his story without the slightest question. He leaned over
the gate which led into the little plantation, and he was suddenly grave
and silent. A night-wind was blowing fragrant and cool. The dark boughs
of the trees waved to and fro against the background of deep blue sky.
The lime leaves rustled softly, the perfume of roses came floating
across from the flower-gardens. Trent stood quite still, listening and
thinking.

"God! what a beast I am!" he muttered. "It was there she sat! I'm not
fit to breathe the same air."

He looked back towards the house. The figures of the two girls, with Da
Souza standing now between them, were silhouetted against the window.
His face grew dark and fierce.

"Faugh!" he exclaimed, "what a kennel I have made of my house! What a
low-down thing I have begun to make of life! Yet--I was a beggar--and I
am a millionaire. Is it harder to change oneself? To-morrow"--he looked
hard at the place where she had sat--"to-morrow I will ask her!"

On his way back to the house a little cloaked figure stepped out from
behind a shrub. He looked at her in amazement. It was the little brown
girl, and her eyes were wet with tears.

"Listen," she said quickly. "I have been waiting to speak to you! I want
to say goodbye and to thank you. I am very, very sorry, and I hope that
some day very soon you will make some more money and be happy again."

Her lips were quivering. A single glance into her face assured him
of her honesty. He took the hand which she held out and pressed her
fingers.

"Little Julie," he said, "you are a brick. Don't you bother about me. It
isn't quite so bad as I made out--only don't tell your mother that."

"I'm very glad," she murmured. "I think that it is hateful of them all
to rush away, and I made up my mind to say goodbye however angry it made
them. Let me go now, please. I want to get back before mamma misses me."

He passed his arm around her tiny waist. She looked at him with
frightened eyes.

"Please let me go," she murmured.

He kissed her lips, and a moment afterwards vaguely repented it. She
buried her face in her hands and ran away sobbing. Trent lit a cigar and
sat down