Paul lowered his eyes to 3tudy the play of light in the necklace of pearls that seeme.d dark and cold beside the. warm white skin ; but his attention was drawn despite himself to the magnetic face, and had the uncomfortable sensation that the woman was conscious of his struggles, although eharj'vas no longer glancing to wards him. VThy had he not been intro duced and why— By a sudden impulse he turned his eyes in the direction in which she was now smilingly glancing, and caught a glimpse of a pale, livid face that was distorted almost past recognition. The face of Rupert Minton. While Paul was looking Rupert hastily left the room as if to escape some subtle fascination. With a gasp Paul turned his eyes to the bride, but she was placidly studying the

bouquet in her hand. 'Mr Rupert Minton is ill,' said a soft and tremulous vqice near him, 'or in a dangerous mood. He is almost as un gallant as Mr Paul Remington himself.' 'I deserve the rebuke,' he said, turning apologetically to the dark beauty beside him. ' Everything is so strange and the strange alteration in my friend's appear ance and manner alarmed me. You are kind, Mies Thomas, and you will forgive me.'

' Miss Thomas !. I shall never become ueed to that name,' she said irritably and with a strange bremulousness of voice. 'It is almost as ugly as your language. If ever I see you again you must forget it and call me by the name in which I was bap tised. lam not a native of this iceberg of a selfish land, and the adopted Mildred Thomas still sighs for the more familiar Inez Rosa Velasquez.' •I should better recognise you in that name. It is a better name. But this is so weari some, this waiting, and I am nervous, weary, and my nerves are racked past en durance. ' You regret coming.'_ An emphatic affirmative was on her lips, but it was not spoken. 4 Perhaps !' she answered slowly, gazing at him with a thoughtful puzzled expres sion in her dark eyes. • But who can escape destiny,' she aighed deeply. 