and see him when he was dead.

'The funeral will take place on Monday. If you come here to-morrow,
you will see him before he is put into his coffin.--I am, yours truly,

'ELLEN GIBBS.'

The desire to see her dead lover was an instinct, and the journey from
Sutton to Chelsea was unperceived by her, and she did not recover from
the febrile obedience her desire imposed until Ellen opened the studio
door.

'I received a letter from you....'

'Yes, I know, come in.'

Mildred hated the plain middle-class appearance and dress of this
girl. She hated the tone of her voice. She walked straight into the
studio. There was a sensation of judgment in the white profile, cold,
calm, severe, and Mildred drew back affrighted. But she recovered a
little when she saw that her violets lay under the dead hand. 'He
thought of me to the end. I forgive him everything.'

As she stood watching the dead man, she could hear Ellen moving in the
passage. She did not know what Ellen knew of her relations with Ralph.
But there could be no doubt that Ellen was aware that they were of an
intimate nature. She hoped, hurriedly, that Ellen did not suspect her
of being Ralph's mistress, and listened again, wondering if Ellen
would come into the studio. Or would she have the tact to leave her
alone with the dead? If she did come in it would be rather awkward.