nts stopped her," she called out; "servants always are
stopping her--mine will be better regulated. Come here, Grantley, and
help me in this old song you like so much."

"In a moment, dear," he replied.

Mellen left the room, fearing that Elizabeth might be drawn away by a
headache. He had never felt so tenderly solicitous about her. These last
weeks of sunshine had made his proud nature kindly genial. He was
anxious to atone for all his old suspicions and little neglects of her
comfort.

He was crossing the hall, when the outer door opened, and Elizabeth
entered. She did not observe him, and he saw her in all her unrestrained
emotion. She was deadly white, and rushed in as if seeking escape from
some danger.

"Elizabeth!" he called out.

She started as if he had struck her, but she was accustomed now to
controlling herself, and after that first trembling fit, threw off her
shawl and forced her face into composure.

"Where have you been?" he inquired.

"Only on the veranda," she said, a little too hurriedly; "I was so tired
and my head ached--I wanted air."

He looked at her, dissatisfied and suspicious.

"You might have caught your death," he said; "I wonder at you."

"It was foolish," she returned, trying to laugh, "but the dinner was so
tedious. Come into the drawing-room."

She made an effort to speak playfully, as Elsie might have done, but it
was a failure.

"Your shoes are damp," he exclaimed suddenly; "you have been on the
grass--pray what could take you there?"

"I--I just ran down the steps--I won't do so again."

Elsie heard their voices--she always heard everything--and opened the
door.

"Come in here, you naughty people," she cried, laughing and speaking
lightly, though there was a gleam in her eyes. "Oh! Mrs. Thompson,
husbands and wives who have been separated are worse than lovers."

She forced them to enter, talking in her excited way, and making
everybody laugh so much that neither the frown on Mellen's brow nor his
wife's paleness were observed.

"You have been out," she found an opportunity to whisper to Elizabeth;
"you must be mad!"

"I shall be!" groaned the woman; "I shall be!"

CHAPTER XXXIII.

SEARCHING FOR THE BRACELET.

The very sight of her sister's carelessness and gayety, made Elizabeth
feel how necessary it was to be composed; her husband was watching her
still. Some one asked her to play; she took her seat at the piano and
played one of her most brilli