Owen stared. "Why, for the reason I told you: that Mona won't take another step till mother has given full satisfaction. Everything must be there. You see, everything was there the day of that fatal visit." Owen stared. "You haven't lifted a finger! It's I who have taken possession."!

"Why, she simply won't marry me, don't you see?" "I haven't the least idea," Fleda repeated.

"Do you really think so?" Fleda presently inquired. "I mean, does he, after the fact, as it were, accept it?" "Then you ought to be ashamed of yourself!" Mrs. Gereth broke out with a change of note that showed how deep a passion underlay everything she had said. The poor woman, catching her companion's hand, however, the next moment, as if to retract something of this harshness, spoke more patiently. "Don't you understand, Fleda, how immensely, how devotedly, I've trusted you?" Her tone was indeed a supplication. CHAPTER XIX