"I don't see how you can blame Lillian," objected Helen irritably. "It was not her fault that Mr. Farr was in love with her. I think they were once engaged;" this last somewhat fearfully, for she did not know that she was doing right to betray her friend's secret. Nan shrugged her shoulders: "That may be, but it is only a greater reason why he is not in love with her now." This bit of worldly cynicism struck on deaf ears, for Helen was revolving many things in her mind. "There are, of course, many things that I cannot attempt to explain," Nan continued, "but I still hold to my belief that Mr. Farr cared for Jean. I like him, and I don't believe he would ever have deliberately deceived her." A brief pause ensued. "Nan," said Helen, "I wish the _Vortex_ had never come to anchor here. Everything has gone wrong since then." "Be fair, Helen. Are you sure the fault lay there? It seems to me that everything went happily until----" "Until when? Go on, Nan." "Until Miss Stuart came." Helen, who had been half-sitting up, with her head propped on her hand, dropped back among the cushions with a heavy sigh. "I don't know why you should think so. You are prejudiced against Lillian, and harsh in your thoughts of her. I am not at all sure that it is fair." Nan gained her feet, and looked gravely down at her friend: "Is it not true, dear? Think, Helen. Have not many things gone wrong since your acquaintance with Miss Stuart? Oh! I am sure of it, quite sure." Unbroken silence. "Are you angry with me, Helen?" Nan asked at length. "No, no." "May I say something still further, dear?" "Of course; I know you would never willfully be unkind." Nan sat down on the sofa: "Things have gone wrong since the day you met Miss Stuart, and the reason is that you persisted in a friendship of which Guy so strongly disapproved. Tell me, Helen, was it not Miss Stuart who separated you from Guy? Was it not on her account that you quarreled?" "I suppose so; but Guy was very strange and unreasonable, and I liked Lillian; her friendship was very sweet." "O Helen, you had known Guy all your life; you should have relied on his judgment, you should have trusted him. Do you think that for any light or insufficient reason he would have thwarted you? Had he not always shown himself thoroughly unselfish in everything that concerned you? You did him a very cruel wrong when you mistrusted him, Helen; and I don't see how you could have been so cold when he loved you so." For answer, Helen raised her eyes and looked at Nan through her tears.