et memories came over her as she pushed open the
green gate for the last time, and Zack bounded to meet her. As she
stooped to caress him, and he rested his glossy head against her with a
dog's unreasoning adoration, she said in a low voice: 'Zack, old fellow,
you will be glad to be with your master again.' And he whined, as though
in joyful assent.

There were no signs of either Mollie or Biddy, so she went up as
usual--unannounced. The drawing-room door was open, and as her footsteps
sounded in the passage Mrs. Blake came quietly out. She stepped back as
she saw Audrey, and a slight colour came to her face.

'It is you--at last!' she said abruptly; but there was no other
greeting.

'Yes, it is I,' returned Audrey, kissing her, and speaking in her usual
tranquil manner. 'Do you think I should have let you leave Rutherford
without bidding you good-bye!'

Then Mrs. Blake's eyes had a dangerous gleam in them.

'How could I know that they would let you come?' she said almost
harshly. 'Am I not a pariah, an outcast from all respectable society?
Does not Dr. Ross think so, as well as that excellent sister of yours?
Do you know what my life has been during the last fortnight, since my
boy left me? I have not dared to leave my own gate; if I were stifled
for air, I would not venture to stir out, for fear of seeing a face I
know.'

'You need not have been afraid; no one in Rutherford has heard your
story.'

'But they may have heard it by this time. You forget that Dr.
Charrington and Mr. Harcourt have been told. A man would never keep such
a secret from his wife. Mrs. Charrington may have told it to half the
masters' wives by this time; this is why I have begged Cyril to take me
away, because my life is unendurable.'

'You are going to him now,' observed Audrey soothingly, for she saw at
once that Mrs. Blake was in one of her unhappy moods.

She was thin and pale, and there was a sharpened look about her
features, as though her inward excitement had worn her.

'Yes, I am going to him; but what good will my life be to me? He has
forgiven me--at least, he says so--but every hour of the day his sadness
will be a reproach to me. When I see his unhappiness, how am I to bear
it, when I know it is all my fault? Audrey, tell me one thing: you are
still engaged to him?'

'Yes,' returned Audrey very softly, 'I am still engaged to him.'

'Captain Burnett told me so; he said you had refused to give him up. Oh,
my darling, h