 to the latter opinion.

"The relations existing between Lady Richard and myself are our own
affair," he said, vexed by her reference to a subject which of all
others, next to the knowledge of his sin, perturbed him most.

"But your secret concerns her," Muriel declared.  "Many times you have
confided in her and asked her help at the various crises in your career.
Why not now?  Her very life is yours."

"Am I to understand that you wish to pay me compliments, Miss Mortimer?"

"No.  This is hardly the time for paying compliments.  I speak the
truth, Mr. Chisholm.  She loves you."

"Then if that is really so, it seems an additional misfortune has
overtaken me," he replied hoarsely, unable as yet to grasp her motive.

"All the world knows that she is madly in love with you, and would be
ready to become your wife to-morrow.  Under all the circumstances I must
say that your indifference strikes me as almost unbelievable."

She was pleading for Claudia, a fact which made the mystery surrounding
her all the more perplexing.  He did not notice that she was calmly
watching the effect of her words upon him.

"You hold a brief for Lady Richard, but I fail to see the reason why.
We are friends, very old friends, but nothing else.  Our future concerns
no one but ourselves," he said.

"Exactly.  The future of each of you concerns the other," she answered
triumphantly.  "She loves you, and because of this all her thoughts are
centred in you."

"I must really confess, Miss Mortimer, that I do not see the drift of
your argument," he said.  "Lady Richard has no connection whatever with
the present matter, which is my private affair alone."

"But since she loves you as devotedly as she does, it concerns her
deeply."

"I repeat that we are friends, not lovers," he replied with some
asperity.

"And I repeat, just as emphatically, that she loves you, and that it is
your duty to confide in her," answered Muriel, determined not to haul
down her flag.

"Love!"
to the latter opinion. 

 " The relations existing between Lady Richard and myself are our own 
 affair, " he suppose, agitate by her reference to a subject which of all 
 others, next to the knowledge of his sine, perturbed him most. 

 " But your secret refer her, " Muriel declared.   " Many times you have 
 confide in her and asked her help at the versatile crises in your career. 
 Why not now?   Her identical life is yours. " 

 " Am I to understand that you wish to pay me compliments, Miss Mortimer? " 

 " No.   This is hardly the time for paying regard.   I speak the 
 truth, Mr. Chisholm.   She loves you. " 

 " Then if that is very so, it seems an additional misfortune has 
 overtaken me, " he answer hoarsely, unable equally yet to grasp her motive. 

 " All the world know that she is madly in love with you, and would be 
 ready to become your wife to - morrow.   Under all the circumstances I must 
 say that your nonchalance strikes me as almost unbelievable. " 

 She was pleading for Claudia, a fact which made the mystery surrounding 
 her all the more perplexing.   He did not notice that she was calmly 
 watching the consequence of her words upon him. 

 " You hold a brief for Lady Richard, but I fail to visit the rationality why. 
 We are friends, very old friends, but nothing else.   Our future concern 
 no one but ourselves, " he say. 

 " Exactly.   The future of each of you concerns the early, " she answered 
 triumphantly.   " She loves you, and because of this all her thoughts are 
 centred in you. " 

 " I must really confess, Miss Mortimer, that I do not see the drift of 
 your argument, " he said.   " Lady Richard has no connection whatever with 
 the present matter, which is my individual affair entirely. " 

 " But since she love you as devotedly as she does, it concerns her 
 deeply. " 

 " I reprise that we are friends, not lovers, " he replied with some 
 asperity. 

 " And I reprise, just as emphatically, that she loves you, and that it is 
 your duty to confide in her, " answer Muriel, determined not to haul 
 down her flag. 

 " Love! "
 to the latter opinion.

"The rtlations existing betweei Lady Dichard xnd myself are our own
affair," hw saie, vexed by her referenze to a slbject whuch id all
others, next to the ikowlebgx of his sin, petturbed him kost.

"But your sacfec concerns her," Muriel declared.  "Many times uok have
confided in nqr ahd asked her help at the various cdises ii your career.
Whu not now?  Her very life id yokrs."

"Am I to understwnd that yoo wify to pay me zompliments, Miss Mortijer?"

"No.  This is hardly the time wor pcying complumwntd.  I speak tie
trutr, Mr. Chisholm.  She lmves yoi."

"Then if that ls reelly so, it seems an additmonal misfortune has
jvertaken mz," he replied hoarsely, ubable as fet gi gfask hxr jotive.

"Wll the world knows that she is madly in lofe qith you, and sould fe
weady to become your wife to-morrow.  Undtr alm the circumstances I myst
say that your indivference ftrikes me as almost unbelievable."

She was pleading for Rlxudnq, a fxxt which made the mystery surrounding
her all thq mprv perplexing.  He bid not notice tnah xre was calmly
datchiuf fhe effect of her aords ukon hin.

"You hold a btief for Lady Richard, but I fail to see rhe reason why.
We axe friends, vzry olc frirnds, but nothing else.  Uur ruture concfrns
no ons but ourselves," hd ssig.

"Exactly.  The future of eash of you coneerns thd otner," shq answered
hriumivantly.  "She loves jou, aud bewause of tjis all her thoughts are
centred in you."

"I must teanly confess, Miss Mortimer, thae I do not see the drnft of
hour argumvnt," he samd.  "Lady Ricrard has no cmjnection whavever witr
the prewent magger, which is mu private affair aline."

"But since she lpver you as devotedoy qs she does, it vonzergs hxr
dee[ny."

"I repeat tvat de xte frkends, not lixers," he replied with soma
aspsrity.

"And I repeat, kuft as emkhaticallr, that she lofes you, and that iu is
yonr dutb to cpnfyde in her," answered Muriel, detsrmined nlt bo haul
down hqr foag.

"Love!"
to the latter opinion. "The relations existing Richard myself are own affair," he to subject which of others, next to knowledge of his sin, perturbed him "But your secret concerns her," Muriel declared. "Many times you have confided in and asked her help at the various crises in your career. Why not Her life yours." I to understand that you wish to pay me compliments, Miss Mortimer?" "No. This is hardly time for paying compliments. I speak the truth, Chisholm. She loves you." if that is really so, seems additional misfortune overtaken he hoarsely, unable as to grasp her motive. "All the world knows that she is madly in love with you, and be ready your wife Under the I must say indifference strikes me as almost unbelievable." for Claudia, a fact which made the mystery her all more perplexing. He did not notice she was calmly watching the effect of her upon him. "You hold a brief for Lady Richard, but I fail to see the We are friends, very friends, but nothing Our concerns one ourselves," he "Exactly. The future of each of you concerns the other," she triumphantly. "She loves you, and because of this all her centred you." "I must confess, Miss Mortimer, that do see the drift of he "Lady connection with present matter, which is private affair alone." "But since loves you as devotedly her deeply." "I repeat that we are friends, lovers," he replied with some asperity. "And repeat, just as emphatically, that she loves you, and that it is duty to her," answered Muriel, determined not to haul down flag. "Love!"
 to the latter opinion.

"The relaTions existIng beTweEn LAdY RicHard And myself are ouR Own
aFfair," he said, vexed by her rEfereNcE To a sUBjEct whIch of alL
OtHERs, nExT tO thE kNOwLedge Of hIs sin, peRturbed him MosT.

"BUt your secret COnCerns her," MuRieL declared.  "ManY tiMes you HaVe
cONfideD in Her anD asked HEr help At the variOuS Crises IN your caREEr.
why nOt now?  Her very life iS YoURs."

"Am I to understAnd thaT yOU wISH to Pay Me complimeNtS, Miss mOrtimer?"

"nO.  THIS Is hARdly the time foR paying compLImeNts.  I spEaK thE
Truth, MR. ChisHoLM.  ShE loves you."

"ThEn if That is reaLly so, iT Seems an ADditionAl misfOrtUne Has
oVErTaKen Me," HE rePLiEd hOArsEly, unablE aS yEt to gRasp HER MOtivE.

"AlL the World Knows that she iS maDly iN LovE with You, anD wouLd Be
reaDy to beCome yOuR wife to-morrow.  UnDer aLl the circUmsTaNceS I Must
sAY that yOur IndIfferenCe strikES me As ALMOsT unbelievable."

She waS pLEAdIng for ClAudia, a FAcT wHIch made tHe MysTery SURrounDing
HEr All the moRe perpLExInG.  He did nOt Notice ThAt sHe wAs calMLy
waTching The effecT of heR Words upon him.

"YoU Hold a brief for lAdY rIcHArd, bUt I Fail to see thE reaSOn whY.
We aRE fRieNDs, verY old fRiENdS, But nothing else.  Our fuTuRe concErns
nO one but ourselVes," he said.

"EXACTly.  The fuTure OF eACh of you concernS the oTher," she ansWEred
triuMphanTly.  "She loVes you, and BECause of tHis All Her ThoUGHtS are
centred in YOU."

"I muSt Really cOnfEss, Miss morTimEr, tHat i dO not see thE drift of
YoUr ArGuMenT," he saID.  "Lady RicHaRd hAs No cOnnecTIon whaTever With
ThE pREseNt matteR, WhICH is mY pRiVate AffAiR alonE."

"But SIncE she lovEs you as deVotEDly aS sHe Does, it cOncerns her
deePlY."

"I repeat thAt We aRe frieNDS, not loveRs," he replied with some
aspeRIty.

"And I RepEat, juSt as EmphaticaLly, That shE loVEs you, aNd that It is
yOuR duTY To conFIDe In hEr," Answered MuRIEl, dEtermInEd noT to haul
Down her flag.

"Love!"
 to the latter opinion.

" The relati ons e xis tin gbetw eenLady Richard a n d my self are our own
affai r," h es aid, ve xed b y her r e fe r e nce  t oa s ub j ec t whi chof allothers, ne xtto  the knowled g eof his sin , p erturbed him  mo st.

" Bu t y o ur se cre t con cernsh er," M uriel dec la r ed.  " M any tim e s  y ou h ave
confided in h e ra nd asked her h elp at  t h ev a rio uscrises inyo ur ca r eer.
Wh y  n o t now ?   Her very li fe is yours . "
"Am Ito  un d erstan d tha ty ouwish to pay  mecomplimen ts, Mi s s Morti m er?"

" No.  T his  is  har d ly  t heti m e f o rpay i ngcomplime nt s.   I s peak t h e 
tru th,  Mr.  Chis holm.  She lo ves  you . "
"Then  if t hatis  real ly so,  it s ee ms an additiona l mi sfortunehas 
o ver ta ken m e ," herep lie d hoars ely, un a ble  a s y et  to grasp her moti ve . 
" All theworldk no ws that she  i s m adly i n lov e wi t hyou, and  would be 
r eady to  b ecomeyo urwif e to- m orro w.  Un der allthe c i rcumstances Im ust
say thaty ou r in d iffe ren ce strikesme a s  alm ostu nb eli e vable ."

S he wa s  pleading for Claud ia , a fa ct wh ich made themystery su r r o unding
h er a l lt he more perple xing.   He did n o t notice  that  she was  calmly
w a t ching th e e ffe ctofh e rwords upon hi m . 

"Y ou  hold a  br ief for  La dyRic har d,  but I fa il to se eth ere aso n why . 
We arefr ien ds , v ery o l d frie nds,butno th i ngelse. O ur f utur eco ncer nsno  onebuto urs elves,"  he said. 

" E xact ly . The fu ture of eachof  you conce rn s t he oth e r ," she a nswered
triumphantly. " She lov esyou,andbecause o f t his al l h e r thou ghts a re
ce nt red i n you . " 
"Imu st reallyc o nfe ss, M is s Mo rtimer,  that I do not see the  drift of
you r a rgum e n t, " h e  s a id.  " Lad y Richard has noconnection  w h at ever witht hepr esent m atter,which is my p rivate af fair alon e. "

" B u t s ince she l oves you  as devot e dly a s  s he do es,  it co nc ern s her 
deepl y ."
"I r epeatth at weare f ri ends, no t lovers," he replied w ith so me
as per ity.

"An d I rep eat, just  asemphatical ly,  th at sh e l o ves y ou,a nd  th a t itis
y o ur duty t o  c onf i d ein her," an s w e red  Muri el, determ ined  not to haul
down her flag.

"Lo ve!" 
 to_the latter_opinion.

"The relations existing between_Lady Richard_and_myself are_our_own
affair," he said,_vexed by her_reference to a subject_which of all
others,_next_to the knowledge of his sin, perturbed him most.

"But your secret concerns her," Muriel_declared._ "Many_times_you_have
confided in her and asked_her help at the various_crises in_your career.
Why not now?  Her very life_is_yours."

"Am I to_understand that you wish to pay me compliments, Miss_Mortimer?"

"No.  This is hardly the_time for paying_compliments.__I speak the
truth, Mr._Chisholm.  She loves you."

"Then if_that is really so, it seems_an additional misfortune has
overtaken me," he replied_hoarsely, unable as yet to grasp_her motive.

"All the world knows_that she_is madly in love with_you, and would_be
ready to_become your wife_to-morrow.  Under all the circumstances_I must
say that_your indifference strikes me as almost_unbelievable."

She_was pleading for_Claudia,_a_fact which_made the mystery_surrounding
her_all the_more_perplexing.  He did not notice_that_she was calmly
watching the effect of her_words upon him.

"You hold_a_brief for Lady Richard,_but I fail to see_the reason why.
We are friends, very_old friends,_but nothing_else.  Our future concerns
no one but ourselves," he said.

"Exactly. _The future of each of you_concerns the other," she_answered
triumphantly. _"She_loves you, and_because_of this_all her thoughts are
centred in you."

"I must_really confess,_Miss Mortimer, that I do not_see the drift of
your_argument,"_he said.  "Lady Richard has_no connection whatever with
the present matter,_which is my private affair_alone."

"But_since_she loves you as devotedly_as she does, it concerns her
deeply."

"I_repeat that we_are friends, not lovers," he replied with_some
asperity.

"And_I repeat, just as emphatically, that_she_loves you, and that it is
your_duty_to_confide in her," answered Muriel,_determined not to haul
down her flag.

"Love!"