morning on which Sir Felix had stumbled home drunk,--which was now
four days since,--he had not left the house in Welbeck Street till
this evening. He had gone out a few minutes before Lady Carbury had
started, but up to that time he had almost kept his bed. He would not
get up till dinner-time, would come down after some half-dressed
fashion, and then get back to his bedroom, where he would smoke and
drink brandy-and-water and complain of headache. The theory was that
he was ill;--but he was in fact utterly cowed and did not dare to show
himself at his usual haunts. He was aware that he had quarrelled at
the club, aware that all the world knew of his intended journey to
Liverpool, aware that he had tumbled about the streets intoxicated. He
had not dared to show himself, and the feeling had grown upon him from
day to day. Now, fairly worn out by his confinement, he had crept out
intending, if possible, to find consolation with Ruby Ruggles. 'Do
tell me. Where is he?' pleaded Marie.

'He has not been very well lately.'

'Is he ill? Oh, Miss Carbury, do tell me. You can understand what it
is to love him as I do--can't you?'

'He has been ill. I think he is better now.'

'Why does he not come to me, or send to me; or let me know something?
It is cruel, is it not? Tell me,--you must know,--does he really care
for me?'

Hetta was exceedingly perplexed. The real feeling betrayed by the girl
recommended her. Hetta could not but sympathize with the affection
manifested for her own brother, though she could hardly understand the
want of reticence displayed by Marie in thus speaking of her love to
one who was almost a stranger. 'Felix hardly ever talks about himself
to me,' she said.

'If he doesn't care for me, there shall be an end of it,' Marie said
very gravely. 'If I only knew! If I thought that he loved me, I'd go
through,--oh,--all the world for him. Nothing that papa could say
should stop me. That's my feeling about it. I have never talked to
any one but you about it. Isn't that strange? I haven't a person to
talk to. That's my feeling, and I'm not a bit ashamed of it. There's
no disgrace in being in love. But it's very bad to get married without
being in love. That's what I think.'

'It is bad,' said Hetta, thinking of Roger Carbury.

'But if Felix doesn't care for me!' continued Marie, sinking her voice
to a low whisper, but still making her words quite audible to her
companion. Now Hetta was strongly of opini