She thought of the last week, its aching lonely hours.

She needed her lover at her side, longed for him with a great yearning, and would not let him go.
"I'll not listen, Hilary," she said stubbornly.

"I will not hear! No"; and Chayne drew her close to his side.
"There is bad news, Sylvia." The outcry died away upon her lips.

The words crushed the rebellion in her heart, they were so familiar.

It seemed to her that all her life bad news had been brought to her by every messenger.