 may despise me for my frivolity
and vanity, you surely do not think me capable of betraying your
confidence, do you?"

"No," he replied.  "You have never betrayed any secret I have told you,
Claudia, and I have no reason to suppose you would do so now.  But this
matter concerns myself--only myself."

"And you will tell me absolutely nothing?"

"I--I cannot," he declared brokenly.

A long silence again fell between the pair whose names had so long been
coupled by the gossips.  They certainly looked well suited to each
other--he, tall, dark-faced, and undoubtedly handsome; she, brilliant
and beautiful.

"Dudley, dear," she murmured after a pause, placing her hand tenderly
upon his arm, "you are certainly not yourself to-night.  You are in
trouble over some small matter which your own apprehensions have unduly
exaggerated.  Probably you've been working too hard, or perhaps you've
made a long speech to-day--have you?"

"I spoke this afternoon," he replied.  The tone of his voice was
unusually harsh.

"You want a little brightness and relaxation.  Let us go on to the
Duchess's together, and we will waltz--perhaps for the last time."

Those words fell upon his ears with a terrible significance.  Yes, it
would be for the last time.  In his gloomy state of mind her suggestion
commended itself to him.  What matter if people gossiped about them?
They might surely enjoy one last evening in each other's society.  And
how many waltzes they had had together during the past two seasons!  Yet
this was to be the last--actually the last.

She saw his indecision, and hastened to strengthen her argument.

"Your words to-night, Dudley, have shown me plainly your intention is
that we should drift apart.  This being the case, you will not, I'm
sure, refuse me the favour I ask.  You will take me to the Duchess's.
My brougham is below.  I told Faulkes to return at eleven," she added,
as she glanced at the clock.  "Will you not have one last
may despise me for my frivolity 
 and vanity, you surely do not think me adequate to of fail your 
 confidence, do you? " 

 " No, " he replied.   " You have never betray any secret I have told you, 
 Claudia, and I hold no reason to suppose you would make so now.   But this 
 topic concerns myself -- only myself. " 

 " And you will tell me absolutely nothing? " 

 " I -- I cannot, " he declared brokenly. 

 A retentive silence again fell between the pair whose names had so long been 
 match by the gossips.   They certainly looked well suitable to each 
 other -- he, tall, dark - face, and undoubtedly big; she, brilliant 
 and beautiful. 

 " Dudley, costly, " she murmured after a pause, placing her hand tenderly 
 upon his sleeve, " you are certainly not yourself to - night.   You are in 
 trouble over some small matter which your own apprehensions have unduly 
 exaggerated.   Probably you've been working too hard, or perhaps you've 
 made a long speech to - day -- have you? " 

 " I talk this afternoon, " he replied.   The shade of his part was 
 unusually harsh. 

 " You want a little brightness and relaxation.   Let us go on to the 
 Duchess's in concert, and we will waltz -- perhaps for the last time. " 

 Those words fell upon his ears with a terrible significance.   Yes, it 
 would be for the last time.   In his gloomy state of judgment her suggestion 
 commend itself to him.   What matter if people gossiped about them? 
 They might surely enjoy one last evening in each early's society.   And 
 how many waltzes they had had together during the past two seasons!   Yet 
 this was to be the last -- actually the last. 

 She saw his indecisiveness, and hastened to strengthen her argument. 

 " Your words to - night, Dudley, have read me plainly your purpose is 
 that we should drift apart.   This being the case, you will not, I'm 
 sure, reject me the favour I ask.   You will take me to the Duchess's. 
 My brougham is below.   I told Faulkes to reelect at eleven, " she added, 
 as she glanced at the clock.   " Will you not have one last
 maj despise me for my frivulity
and vanity, you sucely do not thivk me capable of betraying ylue
confudence, do you?"

"No," he repuied.  "You have necer uetrayed any seccst I hayz tols you,
Eleudia, and I havg no reason do suppose you wuupd do so now.  But this
matter concergs mysekf--lnly myself."

"And you rill neol me absolutely nothing?"

"I--I cahnot," he declared brolenly.

A long silence again vell between the pair ahose names had wo long been
zoupled by the gossips.  They certainly looked well sukted co each
othet--kw, twnl, dark-facev, and lndoubtedly handsome; vhe, brikliant
and beaubiful.

"Vudlwy, dear," she murmured efter a pause, placind her hang cenderly
upon his arm, "toy are cerdainut nut gonrsslf to-jigit.  You are in
trouble iver some small matuer qhich your owh apprqhqnsions have unduly
exaggerated.  Probablj yoh've been working too haed, or perhaps you've
mafe a long speech to-day--have you?"

"I spoke this afternoon," he re[lied.  Tht bjvw lf his voice was
unusually harsh.

"You want a liteme bgightness and relcxation.  Let us bo om to the
Duchesr's togzfhsr, and we will walhz--perhaks for the last timr."

Those words fell upon his wars with a nerruble significance.  Yes, it
woulb be fpr thr last time.  In his gloumy atate of mijd her sufeestion
commended itxenf to him.  What matter if [eople gowsipzd about thek?
They iight surepy enmmy one last eveninh in gach odher's socifty.  And
how many waltzes they hev had togethet dgritg the pcst twp seasons!  Yee
this was to bg the lasc--actuauly the laat.

She sew his indecysion, and hasdgned to strenjthen her argymenr.

"Your wufds to-night, Ducley, have shown me plainly your intenbion ka
that we should druft apart.  This bekng tje cwve, you will tot, K'm
sjte, rewuse me the wavoir I ask.  You will tdke je to the Duchess's.
Ky broughan is beljw.  I told Failkes to return at elevxn," she addec,
as she glanced at the clock.  "Wilm you not haye one last
may despise me for my frivolity and surely not think capable of betraying he "You have never any secret I told you, Claudia, and I have reason to suppose you would do so now. But this matter concerns myself--only "And you will tell me absolutely nothing?" "I--I cannot," he declared brokenly. A silence fell the whose names had so long been coupled by the gossips. They certainly looked well suited to other--he, tall, dark-faced, and undoubtedly handsome; she, brilliant beautiful. "Dudley, dear," she after a pause, placing her tenderly his arm, are not to-night. You are trouble over some small matter which your own apprehensions have unduly exaggerated. Probably you've been working too or perhaps a long to-day--have "I this afternoon," he tone of his voice was unusually a little brightness and relaxation. Let us go to the together, and we will waltz--perhaps for last time." Those words fell upon his ears a terrible significance. Yes, it would be for the last time. In his gloomy state her suggestion commended itself him. What matter people about They surely enjoy last evening in each other's society. And how many waltzes they had together during the past two seasons! Yet this was the the last. She his indecision, and hastened strengthen argument. "Your words to-night, shown plainly that should apart. This being the you will not, I'm sure, me the favour I to the Duchess's. My brougham is below. I Faulkes to return at eleven," she added, she glanced at the clock. "Will you not have one last
 may despise me for my frivolitY
and vanity, You suRelY do NoT thiNk me Capable of betraYIng yOur
confidence, do you?"

"No," he RepliEd.  "yOu haVE nEver bEtrayed ANy SECreT I HaVe tOlD YoU,
ClauDia, And I havE no reason tO suPpOse you would dO So Now.  But this
MatTer concerns mYseLf--only MySelF."

"and yoU wiLl telL me absOLutely Nothing?"

"I--I CaNNot," he dEClared bROKeNly.

A Long silence again fELl BEtween the pair wHose naMeS HaD SO loNg bEen
coupled By The goSSips.  TheY CeRTAInlY Looked well suiTed to each
otHEr--hE, tall, dArK-faCEd, and uNdoubTeDLy hAndsome; she, bRillIant
and beAutifuL.

"dudley, dEAr," she muRmured AftEr a PausE, PlAcIng HeR HanD TeNdeRLy
uPon his arM, "yOu Are ceRtaiNLY NOt yoUrsElf tO-nighT.  You are in
trouBle Over SOme Small MatteR whiCh Your oWn apprEhensIoNs have unduly
exaGgerAted.  ProbaBly YoU've BeEn worKIng too HarD, or Perhaps You've
maDE a lOnG SPEeCh to-day--have you?"

"I spoKe THIs AfternooN," he repLIeD.  THE tone of hIs VoiCe waS
UNusuaLly hARsH.

"You want A littlE BrIgHtness aNd RelaxaTiOn.  LEt uS go on TO the
duchesS's togethEr, and WE will waltz--perhAPs for the last tIMe."

tHOsE WordS feLl upon his eaRs wiTH a teRribLE sIgnIFicanCe.  Yes, It
WOuLD be for the last time.  In HiS gloomY statE of mind her sugGestion
comMENDed itselF to hIM.  WHAt matter if peopLe gosSiped about THem?
They mIght sUrely enjOy one last EVEning in eAch OthEr's SocIETy.  and
how many walTZEs thEy Had had tOgeTher durIng The PasT twO sEasons!  Yet
This was tO bE tHe LaSt--aCtualLY the last.

shE saW hIs iNdeciSIon, and HasteNed tO sTrENgtHen her aRGuMENt.

"YoUr WoRds tO-niGhT, DudlEy, haVE shOwn me plAinly your IntENtioN iS
tHat we shOuld drift aparT.  THis being thE cAse, You wilL NOt, I'm
sure, Refuse me the favour I ask.  YoU Will takE me To the duchEss's.
My broUghAm is beLow.  i Told FaUlkes tO retuRn At eLEVen," shE ADdEd,
aS sHe glanced aT THe cLock.  "WIlL you Not have One last
 may despise me for my fri volity
and  vani ty,  yo usure ly d o not think me capa ble of betraying yourconfi de n ce,d oyou?" 

"No," he r epl ie d.   " Yo u  h ave n eve r betra yed any se cre tI have toldy ou ,
Claudia,  an d I have norea son to  s upp o se yo u w oulddo son ow.  B ut this
m at t er con c erns my s e lf --on ly myself."

"And yo u  will tell meabsolu te l yn o thi ng? "

"I--I c an not," he decl a re d b rok e nly.

A longsilence aga i n f ell be tw een the pa ir wh os e  na mes had solong  been
cou pled b y  the go s sips. They c ert ain ly l o ok ed  we ll sui t ed  to eac h
other- -h e,  tall , da r k - f aced , a nd u ndoub tedly handsom e;she, bri llian t
and  bea ut iful. 

"Dud ley,de ar," she murmur ed a fter a pa use ,pla ci ng he r  handten der ly
upon  his ar m , " yo u a re  certainly not you rs e l fto-night .  You ar ei n
troubl eove r so m e  smal l ma t te r whichyour o w nap prehens io ns hav eund uly 
exag g erat ed.  P robablyyou'v e  been workingt oo hard, or p e rh a p sy ou'v e
m ade a longspee c h to -day - -h ave you?" 

"Isp o ke this afternoon," he  r eplied .  Th e tone of his  voice was u n usuallyhars h ."You want a li ttlebrightness and rela xatio n.  Letus go ont o  the
Duc hes s's  to get h e r,  and we willw a ltz- -p erhapsfor  the la sttim e." 

T ho se wordsfell upo nhi sea rswitha  terribl esig ni fic ance.  Yes,it
wo uldbe  f o r t he last ti m e .  I nhi s gl oom ystate  ofm ind  her su ggestioncom m ende dit self to  him.  What m at ter if peo pl e g ossipe d about th em?
They might surely e n joy one  la st ev enin g in each  ot her'ssoc i ety. And
ho w man ywal t z es th e y  h adha d together d uri ng th epast  two se asons!  Yet
this w a s t o be the last --a ctua l l ythe la s t.
S h e s a w  his indecision , and hast en e dto strengt h enhe r argum ent.

" Yourw ords to -night, D udley, ha ve  sho w n  me  plainly y our inte ntion ist hat w e  s hould  dr ift ap ar t. This  being the  case , youwi ll not , I'm 
s ure, ref use me the favour I ask .  You  will  ta ke me tothe Duc hess's.
M y br ougham isbel ow.   I t old Faulk es t o  r etu r n atelev e n," she a d de d,a s  s he glanceda t the  cloc k."Willyounot have one last 
 may_despise me_for my frivolity
and vanity,_you surely_do_not think_me_capable of betraying_your
confidence, do you?"

"No,"_he replied.  "You_have never betrayed_any_secret I have told you,
Claudia, and I have no reason to suppose you would_do_so now.__But_this
matter concerns myself--only myself."

"And you_will tell me absolutely nothing?"

"I--I_cannot," he_declared brokenly.

A long silence again fell between the_pair_whose names had_so long been
coupled by the gossips.  They certainly_looked well suited to each
other--he, tall,_dark-faced, and undoubtedly_handsome;_she,_brilliant
and beautiful.

"Dudley, dear," she_murmured after a pause, placing her_hand tenderly
upon his arm, "you are_certainly not yourself to-night.  You are_in
trouble over some small matter which_your own apprehensions have unduly
exaggerated._ Probably_you've been working too hard,_or perhaps you've
made_a long_speech to-day--have you?"

"I_spoke this afternoon," he replied. _The tone of_his voice was
unusually harsh.

"You want a_little_brightness and relaxation.__Let_us go_on to the
Duchess's_together,_and we_will_waltz--perhaps for the last time."

Those words_fell_upon his ears with a terrible significance._ Yes, it
would be_for_the last time. _In his gloomy state of_mind her suggestion
commended itself to him._ What_matter if_people gossiped about them?
They might surely enjoy one last evening in_each other's society.  And
how many_waltzes they had had_together during_the_past two seasons!__Yet
this was_to be the last--actually the last.

She saw_his indecision,_and hastened to strengthen her argument.

"Your_words to-night, Dudley, have_shown_me plainly your intention is
that we_should drift apart.  This being_the case, you will not,_I'm
sure,_refuse_me the favour I ask._ You will take me to_the Duchess's.
My brougham_is below.  I told Faulkes to_return_at eleven," she added,
as she glanced_at_the clock.  "Will you not_have_one_last