Her brother had faced round to her again; he started a little at
this, and again, at one of the candles, lighted his cigarette, which
had gone out. She looked at him a moment; then he said something
that surprised her. "Is Mrs. Churchley very rich?"

"I haven't the least idea. What on earth has that to do with it?"

Godfrey puffed his cigarette. "Does she live as if she were?"

"She has a lot of hideous showy things."

"Well, we must keep our eyes open," he concluded. "And now you must
let me get on." He kissed his visitor as if to make up for
dismissing her, or for his failure to take fire; and she held him a
moment, burying her head on his shoulder.

A wave of emotion surged through her, and again she quavered out:
"Ah why did she leave us? Why did she leave us?"

"Yes, why indeed?" the young man sighed, disengaging himself with a
movement of oppression.



CHAPTER II



Adela was so far right as that by the end of the week, though she