"Or, what would be much worse, any of our friends."

[ ]

CHAPTER XXVI.

"A single stream of all her soft brown hair

Poured on one side.

* * * *

Half light, half shade,

She stood, a sight to make an old man young."

Gardener's Daughter.

Thrusting her little bare feet into her slippers, she takes up a candle and walks softly down the stairs, past the smoking and billiard-rooms, into the drawing-room, where the paper has been left.