led, though without any mirthfulness. "There are so many
degrees of unworthiness, aren't there? And I am not near enough to
perfection to believe myself a judge."

"If _he had committed a crime_?" I went desperately on. And the
words on my own lips made me start as though with a sudden revelation. I
seemed to have assured myself of a fact which had actually taken place,
rather than uttered a mere suggestion. The conviction grew within me
that if Carson Wildred had not successfully altered his face and each
characteristic of his personality, I should at once be able not only to
remember, but to prove that my haunting half-recollection was intimately
connected with some criminal deed done by him.

"Ah, _then_! But it is wrong to wish that he should have been
guilty of any wickedness. I think, Mr. Stanton, that as I have promised
to be his wife we must talk no more of this--you and I. I have always
had a horror of disloyalty."

"I know," I said, "that I have done an unheard-of thing in thus stealing
you away from your friends to ask you questions which only the most
intimate friends could claim the right to ask, but----"

"Oh," she cried, impulsively. "Somehow you and I have bridged over
years. You are good to me--don't think I will misunderstand. I shall
always remember you, and--what you would have done for me."

"What I shall try _yet_ to do, in spite of all," I amended. "I
meant to leave England soon, but now--I shall stay."

"Yes--stay," she faintly echoed; "though you must leave me now. I--I
would rather _anything_ than that you were with me when they come
to me. I will make them some excuse for having separated myself from
them. Only go now--_please_ go."

As she spoke, outside in the hall we heard voices and footsteps coming
nearer.

CHAPTER XI

Wildred Scores

Karine's face grew paler than before.

Throwing up her head with a proud, spirited little gesture, she walked
quickly to the door, and passed into the hall.

I knew that this was to prevent her friends from entering and finding us
together, as they must otherwise have done; and there was nothing for me
to do (cowardly as this seemed) but obey her, and passively submit to
the carrying out of her scheme.

It had indeed been Sir Walter and Lady Tressidy and Carson Wildred whose
voices we had heard.

"Why did you run away? We have been looking for you everywhere, and
wasting _so_ much time!" I heard Lady Tressidy say fretfully.

"I wa