By the fire sat Paula and Somerset, the former with a shawl round her shoulders to keep off the draught which, despite the curtains, forced its way in on this gusty night through the windows opening upon the balcony.

Paula held a letter in her hand, the contents of which formed the subject of their conversation.

Happy as she was in her general situation, there was for the nonce a tear in her eye.
'MY EVER DEAR PAULA (ran the letter),--Your last letter has just reached me, and I have followed your account of your travels and intentions with more interest than I can tell.

You, who know me, need no assurance of this.

At the present moment, however, I am in the whirl of a change that has resulted from a resolution taken some time ago, but concealed from almost everybody till now.