ith emphasis.
"Marcia's selfishness and thoughtlessness and indifference toward one who
should be the dearest thing on earth to her is very hard to bear, very;
but I am not made of the stuff that could break under an affliction of
that kind. Mr. Oldham used so often to say that he never saw such
fortitude and courage, never dreamed that such qualities existed in women
until he knew me, and saw the way I met trouble. Oh, no indeed," again
dabbling her eyes, "that is not it at all. No, my only feeling about
Marcia's conduct is that I have been left to bear intolerable grief and
Insult alone."

"Intolerable grief and insult alone!" Hayden really roused himself. "My
dear Mrs. Oldham, those are strong words. What can possibly have
happened?"

"That is just it. It is a case requiring strong words," she said firmly.
"Who do you think paid me a visit this morning? Why, Lydia Ames, who
hasn't darkened my doors since Wilfred became interested in Marcia. The
idea!" overcome by indignation. "What did she want? A princess of the
blood? Apparently not! She wants instead a fortune-teller, a madcap like
Ydo Carrothers. She spent the whole time this morning telling me how
charming and fascinating Ydo was and what a fillip she gave to life. I
told her frankly that I had been very thoroughly acquainted with Miss Ydo
Carrothers from her youth up, and that she would be a handful for any
one. I'd as lief undertake to chaperone a cyclone. She only chuckled in
that disagreeable way of hers and spoke of Wilfred's admiration for that
Gipsy. When, Robert--you see I was able to say it that time--when every
one has been talking, for the past year of Wilfred's devotion to Marcia.
Such a dear fellow and so rich! I loved him like a son; and now, now they
Will say that he has jilted her, jilted Marcia, and you know, Robert, a
girl never recovers from that sort of thing.

"And then, Lydia Ames, horrid thing, said, oh, how can I tell it, that
she was anxious to present Ydo, Ydo Carrothers, forsooth, with a set of
butterflies as beautiful as Marcia's. Oh, Mr. Hay-- Robert, did you, did
you ever hear of anything so cruel? Oh, I tried not to think she had any
particular reason for saying it, when in walked Edith Symmes, Edith
Symmes of all people, and do you know, Robert, she began to get off the
same thing."

She paused to let the enormity of this sink into his consciousness. The
tears were streaming down her face, a mask of tragedy, and Hayden could