she fall fainting to the floor.

"I will change my dress," she had answered firmly, speaking slowly to
hide her terror. She was Lord Carnavon's daughter now.

"No, I tell you, Barbara--I--"

There was something in her eyes that told him he had reached the limit
of her forbearance. Beyond that there was danger.

She had glided past him, shut and locked her bedroom door, struggled
with bungling fingers into her walking-dress, pinned on her hat, thrown
an old silk waterproof around her shoulders, had slid back the bolt of
her chamber opening into the hall, crept down the steps, and fled.

Ten minutes later Martha's arms were about her, and she sobbing on her
old nurse's shoulder.

Chapter XV

The day following Stephen's visit was one of many spent by Lady Barbara
in working at "home," as she called the simple apartment in which Martha
had given her shelter.

With the aid of a shop-girl whose mother Martha had known, she had found
employment at Rosenthal's, on upper Third Avenue. There had been need
of an expert needlewoman in a department recently opened, and Mangan,
in charge of the work, had taken her name and address. The repairing of
rare laces had been one of her triumphs when a girl, she having placed
an inset in the middle of an old piece of Valenciennes which had
deceived even the experts at Kensington Museum. And so, when one of
Rosenthal's agents had looked up her lodgings, had seen Martha, and
noted "Mrs. Stanton's" quiet refinement, he had at once given her the
place. She had retained, with Martha's advice, the name that Dalton had
assumed for her on her arrival in New York, and Rosenthal's pay-roll and
messengers knew her by no other.

These days at home bad been gradually extended, her employer finding
that she could work there more satisfactorily, and of late the greater
part of each week had been spent in the small suite of rooms in St.
Mark's Place--much to Martha's delight, who had arranged her own duties
so as to be with her mistress. The good woman had long since given up
night-nursing, and the few patrons dependent upon her during the day
had had to be content with an "exchange," which she generally managed to
obtain, there being one or two of the fraternity on whom she could call.

And these days, in spite of the sorrow hovering over her charge, Martha
never found wholly unhappy. They constantly reminded her of the
good times at Oakdale when she used to bring in her young mistress