hers, must have noticed
that. I never do seem to say exactly the right thing to please
everybody. Is it not very unfortunate?"

He laughed a little. "I have yet to learn in what way you do not please
everybody," he said, dropping his voice to a low, caressing cadence.
"Who, that sees you, does not admire--and--and love you?"

She met his languorous gaze without embarrassment,--while the childlike
openness of her regard confused and slightly shamed him.

"Admire me? Oh yes!" she said somewhat plaintively. "It is that of which
I am so weary! Because God has made one pleasant in form and face,--to
be stared at and whispered about, and have all one's dresses
copied!--all that is so small and common and mean, and does vex me so
much!"

"It is the penalty you pay for being beautiful," said Sir Francis
slowly, wondering within himself at the extraordinary incongruity of a
feminine creature who was actually tired of admiration.

She made no reply--the wheel went round faster than before. Presently
Lennox set aside his emptied cup, and drawing his chair a little closer
to hers, asked--

"When does Errington return?"

"I cannot tell you," she answered. "He said that he might be late. Mr.
Neville is with him."

There was another silence. "Lady Errington," said Sir Francis
abruptly--"pray excuse me--I speak as a friend, and in your
interests,--how long is this to last?"

The wheel stopped. She raised her eyes,--they were grave and steady.

"I do not understand you," she returned quietly. "What is it that you
mean?"

He hesitated--then went on, with lowered eyelids and a half-smile.

"I mean--what all our set's talking about--Errington's queer fancy for
that actress at the Brilliant."

Thelma still gazed at him fixedly. "It is a mistake," she said
resolutely, "altogether a mistake. And as you are his friend, Sir
Francis, you will please contradict this report--which is wrong, and may
do Philip harm. It has no truth in it at all--"

"No truth!" exclaimed Lennox. "It's true as Gospel! Lady Errington, I'm
sorry for it--but your husband is deceiving you most shamefully!"

"How dare you say such a thing!" she cried, springing upright and facing
him,--then she stopped and grew very pale--but she kept her eyes upon
him. How bright they were! What a chilling pride glittered in their
sea-blue depths!

"You are in error," she said coldly. "If it is wrong to visit this
theatre you speak of, why are you so often seen there-