"At the West Kensington station—she was going to Victoria. I had walked with her there, and our talk was all on the way." Her vivid friend, moreover, had got before her; he clearly suffered from the nature of the control he had to exercise. "Don't do that, miss—you won't care for it at all." Then as she waveringly stood her ground, "It's not a place for a young lady, nor, if you'll believe me, a sight for them as are in any way affected."!

"What do you want of him," Fleda sadly asked, "feeling as you do to both of us?" "Quite right. There's nothing like them," said Mrs. Gereth. At this her companion took up one of her hands again and kissed it as she had done in London. "Mona went back that night; she was not there yesterday. Owen stayed on," she added.

"I'm very, very tired." Mrs. Gereth's slow head-shake was tragic. "I couldn't do it again." "Perhaps you've a right to say that you left it a little to mine." Mixed up with the spoils there, rising before him as if she were in a manner their keeper, she felt that she must absolutely dissociate herself. Mrs. Gereth had made it impossible to do anything but give her away. "I can only tell you that, on my side, I left it to her. I never dreamed either that she would pick out so many things." Fleda felt the full need of giving a reason for her departure; but at first she only said with cheerful frankness: "I departed."