ave every reason to say, 'Why didn't you try in your own family
first?'"

"But, Aurora, I'm afraid to have you."

"Afraid! I, of Almeda Champney?"

She stopped short on the stairs to look back at him. There was a trace
of the old-time haughtiness in her bearing. Octavius welcomed it, for he
was realizing that he could not move her from her decision, and as for
the message from Almeda Champney, he knew he never could deliver it--he
had no courage.

"You needn't sit up for me, Ellen," she said to the surprised girl as
they went out; "it may be late before I get home; bolt the back door,
I'll take the key to the front."

He helped her into the trap, and in silence they drove down to The Bow.

XVI

Aurora Googe spoke for the first time when Octavius left her at the door
of Champ-au-Haut.

"Tave, don't leave me; I want you to be near, somewhere in the hall, if
she is in the library. I want a witness to what I must say and--I trust
you. But don't come into the room no matter what is said."

"I won't, Aurora, and I'll be there in a few minutes. I'm just going to
drive to the stable and send the boy down for the mail, and I'll be
right back. There's Aileen."

The girl answered the knock, and on recognizing who it was caught her
breath sharply. She had not seen Mrs. Googe during the past month of
misery and shame and excitement, and previous to that she had avoided
Champney Googe's mother on account of the humiliation her love for the
son had suffered at that son's hands--a humiliation which struck at the
roots of all that was truest and purest in that womanhood, which was
drying up the clear-welling spring of her buoyant temperament, her young
enjoyment in life and living and all that life offers of best to
youth--offers once only.

She started back at the sight of those dark eyes glowing with an
unnatural fire, at the haggard face, its pallor accentuated by the white
burnous. One thought had time to flash into consciousness before the
woman standing on the threshold could speak: here was suffering to
which her own was as a candle light to furnace flame.

"I've come to see Mrs. Champney, Aileen; is she in the library?"

"Yes,"--the girl's lips trembled,--"shall I tell her you are here?"

"No." She threw aside her cloak as if in great haste; Aileen took it and
laid it on a chair. Mrs. Googe went swiftly to the library door and
rapped. Aileen heard the "Come in," and the exclamation that followed:
"So you've c