me!' she said, trying to laugh it off.

Cyril looked at her very gravely.

'I am afraid you find this a bore,' he said, with such evident
understanding of her nervousness that the tears came to her eyes.

When they had played a little longer, he suddenly jumbled the pieces
together.

'It is unfair to take advantage of you any longer,' he said, jumping up;
'no one can play without a queen, and you have lost your castles and one
of your knights, and I was just going to take the other. It is only
trying your patience for nothing; the game is mine.'

'Yes, it is yours,' returned Audrey, in rather a melancholy voice.

Why had he ended it so abruptly? Could he have noticed how her hand
shook? How very nervous she had been! She did not dare look at him as he
bade her good-night.

'I must go,' she heard him say to Dr. Ross. 'I have work to finish;' and
then he went out, and she heard the door close behind him.

'Is it always to be like this?' thought Audrey, as she stood by her
window. 'Will he never speak to me or look at me again in the old way?
To-night he went away to spare me, because he saw how uncomfortable I
was. He is very brave; I suppose a man's pride helps him. Somehow, I
think it is easier for him than me. Perhaps I am different from other
women, but I always feel as though I would rather bear pain myself than
inflict it on another person.'

CHAPTER XXII

'NO, YOU HAVE NOT SPARED ME'

'Thy word unspoken thou canst any day
Speak; but thy spoken ne'er again unsay.'

_Eastern Proverb_--TRENCH.

Michael was still away. The business that detained him was not to be
settled as easily as he had expected; there were complications--a host
of minor difficulties. He was unwilling to return until things were
definitely arranged.

'I am too proud of my present position,' he wrote to Audrey; 'the mere
fact that I am of some use in the world, and that one human being feels
my advice helpful to him, quite reconciles me to my prolonged absence.
Of course I mean to keep Kester with me. He is perfectly happy, and
fairly revels in London sights. He and Fred are thick as thieves.
Abercrombie saw him the other day--you know who I mean: Donald
Abercrombie. He is a consulting physician now, and is making quite a
name for himself. He has good-naturedly promised to look into the case.
He says, from the little he has seen, he is sure the boy has been
neglected, and that care and med