"I am so sorry," she murmured,
looking down at her slipper. "I could
not help breaking down here, could I?"
"Nor could my brother fall to offer
you the hospitality of this roof," Ste
phen admitted. "The incident was un
fortunate but inevitable. It is a mat
ter for regret that we have so little to
offer you in the way of entertainment"
He rose to his feet. The door had
opened. Jennings was standing there
with a candlestick upon a massive sil
ver salver. Behind him was Aline.
You are doubtless fatigued by your
journey, madam," Stephen concluded.
Louise made a little grimace,but she
rose at once to her feet She under
stood quite well that she was being
sent to bed, and she shivered a little
when she looked at the hourbarely
ten o'clock. Yet it was all in keeping.
From the doorway she looked back In
to the room, in which nothing seemed
to have been touched for centuries.
She stood upon the threshold to bid her
final good-night, fully conscious of the
complete anachronism of her presence
there.
Her smile for Stephen was respectful
and full of dignity. As she glanced to
ward John, however, something
flashed in her eyes and quivered at tho
corners of her lips, something which
escaped her control, something which
made hira grip for a moment the back
of the chair against which he stood.
"Those of Us Who Inherit the Family
Spirit Look Atfkance Upon All
Strange Women."
Then, between the old manservant
who insisted upon carrying her candle
to her room, and her maid, who walked
behind, she crossed the white stone
hall and stepped slowly up the broad
flight of stairs.
