eyes. And her height and suppleness: at twenty-five she will be regal."

"Then, Mr. Langenau," she cried, with sudden spitefulness, "you _do_
admire her very much yourself! Do you know, I thought perhaps you did.
How you must envy Mr. Vandermarck!"

A slight shrug of the shoulders and a slight low laugh; after which, he
said, "No, I think not. I have not the courage that is necessary."

"The courage! why, what do you mean by that?"

"I mean that a man who ventures to love a woman in whom he cannot trust,
has need for courage and for patience; perhaps Mr. Richard Vandermarck
has them both abundantly. For me, I think the pretty Miss Pauline would
be safer as an hour's amusement than as a life's companion."

The words stabbed, killed me. With an ejaculation that could scarcely
have escaped their ears, I sprang up and ran through the hall and up the
stairs. Before I reached the landing-place, I knew that some one was
behind me. I did not look or pause, but flew on through the hall till I
reached my own door. My own door was just at the foot of the third-floor
stairway. I glanced back, and saw that it was Mr. Langenau who was
behind me. I pushed open my door and went half-way in the room; then
with a vehement and sudden impulse came back into the hall and pulled it
shut again and stood with my hand upon the latch, and waited for him to
pass. In an instant more he was near me, but not as if he saw me; he
could not reach the stairway without passing so near me that he must
touch my dress. I waited till he was so near, and said, "Mr. Langenau."

He raised his eyes steadily to mine and bowed low. I almost choked for