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e through mine。〃
〃Ella； dearest Ella！〃
〃You know nothing of that hourthat terrible hour！ Wait until it comes to you before you think a word of evil against any woman that lives in the world。 Wait until your hour of jealousy comeswait until you find that your hair is turning gray。 The most tragical moment in a woman's life is when she finds that the gray hairs will not be kept back。 That is the time when she thinks of Heaven most seriously。 I have not yet found a single gray hair in my head； but I have suffered all else； and I have been an astonishment to myselfas I have been to you more than once before now； and as I certainly am to you at the present moment。〃
She had spoken at first with quivering lips； her fingers interlaced； her eyes flashing。 She had sprung from her seat and had begun to pace the room just as she had paced Phyllis' drawing room on that night when she had missed the performance of 〃Romeo and Juliet；〃 but she ended with a laugh； which was meant to make a mock of the seriousness of her impassioned words； but which only had the effect of emphasizing her passion in the ears of the girl。
While she was still lying back； laughing； in the chair into which she had thrown herself once more； Phyllis went to her and knelt at her feet； taking her hands just as Herbert had taken her hands in the evening when he had knelt at her feet in her own house after the little dinner at Mr。 Ayrton's。
〃Ella； Ella；〃 she whispered； 〃I also am a woman。 Oh； my dearest！ I think that I can understand something of your heart。 I know a little。 Oh； Ella； Ella！ I would do anything in the world to help youanything anything！〃
〃Would you？〃 cried the woman。 〃Would you do anything？ Would you give up Herbert Courtland in order to help me？〃
She had grasped Phyllis by the wrists and had bent her own head forward until her face was within an inch of Phyllis'。 Their breaths mingled。 Their faces were too close to admit of either of them seeing the expression that was in the eyes of the other。
〃Dearest Ella； you will not break my heart！〃 said the girl piteously。
〃Will you give him up for your love of me？〃 the woman cried again； and Phyllis felt her hands tighten upon her wrists。
〃I will forget that you have said such words；〃 said the girl。
The woman flung away her hands after retaining them for a few moments in silence； and then throwing herself back in her chair； laughed loud and long。
Phyllis rose to her feet。
〃You poor dear！〃 cried Ella。 〃It was a shamea shame to play such a jest upon you！ But I felt in a tragic mood； and the line between comedy and tragedy is a very fine one。 Forgive my little freak； dear； and let us be human beings once more； living in a world that cannot be taken so seriously。 Don't go by the evening train； Phyllis； stay all night with me。 I have so much to say to you。 I want to talk to you。 How can you leave me here all alone？〃
Phyllis could have told her that how she could leave her all alone was because Herbert Courtland had left for London on the previous day。 She did not make an explanation to her on this basis； however； she merely said that it would interfere with her plans to remain longer at The Moorings。 She had to attend that great function with her father that night。
Ella called her very unkind； but showed no desire to revert to the topic upon which they had been conversing； when she had thought fit to ask her that jocular question which Phyllis had said she would forget。
But Phyllis did not keep her word。 On the contrary she thought of nothing else but that question all the time she was in the railway carriage going to Paddington。
It was a terrible question in Phyllis' eyes for a woman with a husband to put to her girl…friend。
More than once during the week Phyllis had been led to ask herself if she was quite certain that her terrible surmise regarding the influence which dominated Ella's recent actions was true。 Now and again she felt an impulse to fall upon her knees and pray； as she had once before prayed； that the sin of that horrible suspicion might be forgiven her。 How could it be possible； she thought； that Ella should forget all that a true woman should ever remember！
But nownow； as she sat in the train on her way back to London； there was no room left in her mind for doubt on this matter。 The tragic earnestness with which Ella had asked her that question； tightening her fingers upon her wrists？ 〃/Will you give up Herbert Courtland in order to help me？/〃the passionate whisper； the quivering lipsall told her with overwhelming force that what she had surmised was the truth。
She felt that Ella had confessed to her that her infatuationPhyllis called it infatuationhad not passed away； though she had been strong enough upon that night； when her husband had so suddenly returned； to fly from its consequences。 No； her infatuation had not died。
But Herbert Courtlandwhat of him？ He had also had strengthonce。 Would he have strength again？ He had told her； while they were together in one of the boats drifting down the placid river； that he believed in the influence which a woman could exercise upon a man's life being capable of changing his nature so completely as if a miracle had been formed upon him。 She had not had the courage to ask him if he had any particular instance in his mind that impressed this belief upon him。
Had he been led to cast that infatuationif he had ever been subjected to itbehind him； by reason of her influence over him since she had repeated to him the pathetic words of Mrs。 Haddon； and he had gone straight aboard the yacht on that strange cruise？
She could scarcely doubt that he was ready to acknowledge how great had been her influence upon his life。 He had shown her in countless ways that she had accomplished all that she had sought to achieve。 She had had no need to throw herself at his headthe phrase which Ella suggested her fellow…guests would probably employ in referring to the relative positions of Phyllis and Herbert。 No； she had ever found him by her side； and it did not need her to exercise much cleverness to keep him there。
But then； why had he so suddenly hurried away from that pleasant life beside the still waters？
This was the question which was on her mind as the train ran into the station at Paddington。 She got out of the carriage； and while her maid went to look after the luggage； she glanced down the platform for the footman。 He came up to her in a moment and took her dressing…bag and jewel…case。
〃The brougham is here； I suppose？〃 she said； as she walked down the platform。
It was at the entrance to the station； he told her。
She paused for a moment； and glanced back to see if there had been much luggage in the train which she had leftif her maid would be likely to be kept waiting for long。 At that instant a porter； with a portmanteau on his shoulder and a Gladstone bag in his hand； hurrying up by the side of the train which was ready to depart from the next platform； shouted to a group of Eton boys who were blocking the way：
〃By your leave； gents！〃
She started and took a step to one side； and that instant was sufficient to make her aware of the fact that the portmanteau carried by the porter to the train which was about to leave for Maidenhead was Herbert Courtland's。 There was no mistaking it。 It bore on one end his initials and his private sign。
She took a few steps nearer the train by which she had come； and followed the porter with her eyes。
He put the portmanteau into the luggage van； and then returned with the Gladstone bag to the side of a compartment。 She saw him place it in the network； and touch his cap as he received his /douceur/ from the passenger who sat at the door with an evening paper in his hand。
She saw that that passenger was Herbert Courtland。
She told the footman who stood beside her to take her bag and case to the brougham and then return to help her maid with the rest of the luggage。 He followed her down the platform。
In a short time she was being driven home； her maid following with the luggage in another vehicle。
She did not begin to change her traveling dress immediately on retiring to her room。 She did not even take off her hat。 She stood at the window looking out over a scene very different from that which had been before her eyes every day during the previous week。 After a quarter of an hour's listlessness at the window； she spent another quarter of an hour sitting motionless in a chair。 Then she rose and looked at herself in a mirror that showed her herself from head to foot。 She examined her feet with curious deliberation； and then looked with a critical side glance at the reflection of her face。 （She could not fail to have noticed that it was unusually pale。） She removed her hat； surveyed herself once more； then； turning away with an exclamation of impatience； she crumpled up her hat with both her hands and flung it； just as a wicked child would have flung it； across the room。
〃Let them both go together to perditionto perditionto perdition！〃 she said with a bitterness that had never previously been in her voice。 〃Let them go together。 I have done my best for themfor her for her。 I give them up now for evermore。〃
After a minute or two of statuesque pass