like a fury, talking to herself and gesticulating as one half insane
from the impelling force of an evil passion.

"Baffled, but not defeated." The excitement had died out. She spoke
these words aloud, and with a bitter satisfaction in her voice, then
sat down, resting her face in her hands, and remaining for a long
time in deep thought.

When she met her husband, an hour afterward, there was a veil over
her face, and he tried in vain to look beneath it. She was greatly
changed; her countenance had a new expression--something he had
never seen there before. For years she had been growing away from
him; now she seemed like one removed to a great distance--to have
become almost stranger. He felt half afraid of her. She did not
speak of Edith, but remained cold, silent and absorbed.

Mrs. Dinneford gave no sign of what was in her heart for many weeks.
The feeling of distance and strangeness perceived by her husband
went on increasing, until a vague feeling of mystery and fear began
to oppress him. Several times he had spoken of Edith, but his wife
made no response, nor could he read in her veiled face the secret
purposes she was hiding from him.

No wonder that Mr. Dinneford was greatly surprised and overjoyed, on
coming home one day, to meet his daughter, to feel her arms about
his neck, and to hold her tearful face on his bosom.

"And I'm not going away again, father dear," she said as she kissed
him fondly. "Mother has sent for me, and George is to come. Oh, we
shall be so happy, so happy!"