"No?" She was frowning slightly over her glove. "You see, my sojourn
here has not been--a great success. I think poor Tommy has felt it
rather badly. He likes a genial atmosphere."

"He won't get much of that in my company," observed Monck.

She smiled momentarily. "Perhaps not. But I think he will not be sorry
to be relieved of family cares. They have weighed rather heavily upon
him."

"He will be sorry to lose you," said Monck.

"Oh, of course, in a way. But he will soon get over that." She looked up
at him suddenly. "You will all be rather thankful when I am safely
married, Captain Monck," she said.

There was a second or two of silence. Monck's eyes looked straight back
into hers while it lasted, but they held no warmth, scarcely even
interest.

"I really don't know why you should say that, Miss Denvers," he said
stiffly at length.

Stella's gloved hands clasped each other. She was breathing somewhat
hard, yet her bearing was wholly regal, even disdainful.

"Only because I realize that I have been a great anxiety to all the
respectable portion of the community," she made careless reply. "I think
I am right in classing you under that heading, am I not?"