Almost she had persuaded herself that Harry Luttrell, by the powerful influence of friends, was being kept against his will from her side.

Her anger against Hillyard had sprung, not from the mere fact that he had lied to her, but from her fancy that he had joined the imaginary band of her enemies.

She understood now that in this she had been wrong.
"I see," she said gently.

"It was to spare me pain ?" "Yes." Suddenly Stella Croyle laughed--and with triumph.

She showed to Hillyard a face from which all the anger had gone.
"You need not have been so anxious to spare me.