of a purpose,
leading up to something that still lay unrevealed on the knees of
destiny. Perhaps he had been right in speaking of a drama; it suggested a
sequence of prearranged events, springing from George's death. Reaching
home, she endeavored to banish these thoughts, which were vaguely
troublesome, but Miss Hume found her preoccupied and absent-minded during
the evening.

The following day she went over to see Mrs. Gladwyne and was asked to
wait until her return. Shortly afterward, Clarence entered the room where
she was sitting, and she alluded to her visit to Lisle.

"He is going back as soon as he can stand the journey," she said.

Gladwyne made an abrupt movement and she noticed with surprise and some
indignation the relief in his expression. Though the men had not been on
very cordial terms, it puzzled her.

"You don't attempt to conceal your satisfaction," she commented. "Isn't
it a little ungenerous?"

His effort to recover his composure was obvious, but he answered her
quietly.

"I'm afraid it is. After the accident--I think I was partly blamed for
that--he behaved very well; told everybody about the slippery ground and
said what he could to exonerate me."

"I didn't mean to refer to that matter," explained Millicent. She knew
that it was a painful one to him.

"Still," he resumed, "even if it's ungrateful, I am rather glad he's
going."

"'Rather glad' hardly seems to describe it; you looked overjoyed."

"Don't be severe, Millicent. Let me explain. Since Lisle came over,
nothing has been quite the same. He got hold of you and Nasmyth and the
others, and in a way alienated you from me. I don't mean he did it with
deliberate intention, but he took up your time and monopolized your
interest. I've seen much less of both of you."

"And, of late, of the Crestwicks."

"Oh," he returned in his most casual manner, "I shouldn't have had much
more of their company in any case. Jim's going to Canada and Bella to
Sussex. I understand from Marple that it will be some time before she
visits us again."

Millicent was glad to hear it, but she made no comment.

"It's unreasonable to blame Lisle," Gladwyne went on; "though he did make
some unpleasantness with Batley; but I have had so many annoyances and
troubles since he arrived. Everything has been going wrong and I can't
disassociate him from the unfortunate tendency."

He sat where the light fell upon his face, and Millicent, studying it,
was stirred t