"Yes, it is, and you know it is true. That's why you refused Lord Henry at first, so that you might win Marcus, as you thought. Do you think I was blind?" "Clotilde," said Marie, "this is terrible to me! Did you ask me here to-night to insult me?" "Not I, my dear, only to congratulate you on being such a good, dutiful girl, and obeying our sweetly-affectionate, care-taking, washed-out old aunts. It is so pleasant to see you like I am, and well out in society. I meant that you should be, and so you are. Why, you are ever so much better off than I am--Lady Henry Moorpark. I ought to rise and make obeisance to you, but I am too lazy. But to set aside joking, you ought to be highly grateful, and kiss me for what I have done." "I do not understand you," said Marie, unconsciously playing with her wedding-ring. "Why, I brought you to your senses, silly child!" "Brought me to my senses!" exclaimed Marie, fighting down an intense desire to rise and leave the room. "To be sure, my dear; I have quite taken to dear aunts' worldly ideas of what is right for girls to do. You know I did my duty, as they laid it out for me; and then, when I saw my silly sister hang back and spend her time in making eyes at the penniless officer I could not afford to marry, I said. `This will not do. I love dear Marie too well to let her make a fool of herself. She shall marry Lord Henry Moorpark, or I'll know the reason why.'" "You are talking folly," said Marie huskily. "Perhaps so, Rie; but you did not marry my Marcus, and you did marry Lord Henry. Yes, that's the golden link of your slavery, sweet sister," she said as she saw Marie touch her wedding-ring; "but how dutiful you must feel! Haven't seen Marcus lately, have you?" Marie made no reply. "You don't believe me," continued Clotilde maliciously. "It was very funny how it all turned out. Do you remember the night of our party?" Did she remember it! The recollection was burned into her brain. "Poor Marcus!" continued Clotilde, "he is a great goose of a fellow. How astonished he looked!" Marie was white and red by turns, and the place seemed to swim round before her; but she fought hard to hide her feelings from her sister's malicious eyes. "I must do him the justice to say that he behaved very well on the whole." "Clotilde, you must be mad," said Marie hoarsely. "If you were in your right senses, you would not speak like this." "Oh yes, I would, my dear," laughed Clotilde. "I am no more mad than you are; but I was determined that you should never marry Marcus Glen, and I kept you apart." "It is false," cried Marie excitedly. "I threw him over for his reckless conduct with you." "You threw him over because I made you, my dear," said Clotilde contemptuously. "Do you think, Rie, I was going to sit still here as Elbraham's wife, and see you marry Marcus! No, my dear, that I would not do."