Helen drew a chair up close to the dressing-table, and seating herself, began slowly to plait her long soft hair. She put aside some light topic which Miss Stuart suggested, and spoke at once of the subject which lay nearest her heart. "I am worried about Jean, Lillian. She does not seem like herself lately, and if it were not absurd, I should begin to think she was unhappy about something." "Indeed." The response was so brief as to be almost an ejaculation. Helen's words accorded strangely with Miss Stuart's thoughts. "Yes, and you don't know how unusual it is for Jean to be either irritable or moody. She has a very bright, sunny nature, and is particularly sweet-tempered." "Perhaps there is something troubling her which you have not perceived." Helen wrinkled her forehead thoughtfully. "I am afraid there must be." Miss Stuart darted a swift glance at her. "Have you ever thought what it might be?" Helen's attention was caught by a certain tone in her friend's voice. She raised her eyes questioningly: "No, dear; I wish I had a clew." "Suppose I should give you one?" There was genuine surprise in Helen's face. She answered with a tenderness in her voice which gave her companion a pang. "Why, Lillian, do you know of anything to make Jean unhappy?" Miss Stuart lifted her head as if to strengthen her purpose, wondering at the sudden weakness in herself which made the words so hard to say: "Your sister is in love with Mr. Farr." "Oh!" gasped Helen, staring blankly at her friend. "I only wonder you have not seen it before," added Miss Stuart coolly. "Don't you think he is in love with her?" blundered Helen, who had not sufficiently recovered from her astonishment to be very wise in Jean's behalf. The answer was incisive: "I do not." The hot tears rushed to Helen's eyes. "Oh, my poor little Jean!" Miss Stuart turned away and, to save herself, spoke harshly: "For Heaven's sake, Helen, don't cry. It is such a weak thing to do." The sharp words brought Helen suddenly to a realization of what she had done in thus accepting, without demur, Miss Stuart's statement in regard to Jean. Too late she remembered that it was little short of disloyalty to discuss the subject with an outsider; an outsider, moreover, who had never made any pretense of liking her sister. She resolved to retrieve herself if possible, and answered not a little proudly: "I am sorry I offended you, Lillian. We often differ in our opinions as to what is weak and what is not." "Not often, but always," Lillian broke in with a disagreeable laugh.