Stella loves to hang herself about with beads, don't you, my darling ?" But Ballantyne had overtried her to-night.

Her face suddenly flushed and with a swift and violent gesture she tore at the necklace round her throat.

The clasp broke, the beads fell with a clatter upon her plate, leaving her throat bare.

For a moment Ballantyne stared at her, unable to believe his eyes.

So many times he had made her the butt of his savage humour and she had offered no reply.