lowers which occupied the centre of the small round table

shook h

ft. It is all so wonderful. You have never been to our

smi

d, "what it is like. I, too, you k

ed at him acr

It is just about as large as the cupboard in

t you will like where M

know that I have a big bathroom of my own, with a marble floor, and a sitting-room so beauti

e quite used to these things. In a month you woul

y grave. He looked a

u thinking o

tation, "of Stella. I was wondering what it must be t

a little. The smile ha

your cousin, I t

" she a

y upon her. Tell me, do you see that young lady in a mauve-colour

d across

some she is, and what a strange-looking m

re, but his face lacked

aper, I believe. He is one of those foolish persons who imagine themselves altruists, and who are always

ever. Her lips parted, showing her wonderfu

t that is Stella

for a moment to give an order

Stella, and that is the man

s still ful

he came in!" she said. "You nodded t

I think that on the whole I am a good-natured man, but there are things which I do not for

faded from

errible," s

chances which can make him in any way formidable. We speak because we are enemies. When yo

es d'h?tel and several waiters came rushing up. He gave a trivial order and dismissed th

"what is the matter

ankly. "I should be a little afraid of any one

iled

from a little world where sentiment almost governs life. It is not so here. I am a kind man, I believe, but I am

apers, and I was terribly frightened when mother told me that I was to come. Dir

e, that I was hard, unscrupulous, unforgiving, a money-making machine,

that you do no

gs which you have to remember, and which I expect from you. One is absolute, implicit obedience, the other is abs

ry," she

t trembling joy which had come into her mother's thin, faded face. Her first taste of luxury suddenly brought before her eyes, stripped bare of everything except its pitiful cruelty, that ceaseless struggle for life in which it seemed to her that all of them had been eng

d delivered a letter to her uncle.

no answer,

enger pr

The gentleman said it was most important. I was to fin

asked, "were you to receive

sed me a dollar, sir

his hand in

he said. "Go away at o

. You can tell Mr. Ha

ars, dollars, dollars! That messenger boy was clever to get in. When we leave this restaurant, you will find that there are at least half a dozen people waiting to speak to me. It

him with int

" she ask

e don't quite understand. They don't know whether to follow me or stand away, and the Press doesn't know how to explain my acti

she a

here are times when one must trust. Your mother and your father were both as honest as people could

smiling, "that I hav

ch not even my secretaries have any idea of. You only, in the future, will know. I think, dear, that we shall get on very well together. I am not going to offer you a great deal of money, because you woul

utiful eyes were more brill

e murmured

nod

to do is to get used to your position. The small services which I shall require of you will commence la

o marvellous,

le of a gown close to their table, and looking up found t

r eyes. No! of course you don't remember me! You see I am six years older. I mustn't stop, because, as I dare say you know, I

kind," Virgi

ppeared quite indifferent; in his daughter's voice there had not been the slightest trace of any sentiment. A careless word or two passed between him and the man Norris Vi

t man. Be especially on your guard if ever you are brought into contact with him. I happen to

mber," Virgi