Leila's friendliness continued without abatement; and her predilection for her society was openly manifested. She invited her to walk on Monday afternoon, and was inconsolable for her refusal until Richard Copeland offered himself as a substitute. Alice rode out with Mrs. Read and Josephine; and Ida lay down at dusk upon a sofa, within a recess of the parlor. She soon dropped into a light slumber; and thought that she was dreaming still, when she heard voices, and saw, 'twixt sleeping and waking, two figures, dimly visible in the fire-light. "You are cruelly unjust, Richard. Why seize upon every pretext to attack and wound one who never had an unkind thought of you?" "Because I have no respect for you, Lelia," was the cool rejoinder. "Your trifling is disgraceful--inhuman!" "I never trifled with you." "For the best of reasons--you never had the chance. You will affirm too, that you did not design to coquet with Hilton or Sheppard." "Their unhappiness was the fruit of their own blind folly." "'Blind folly' it was to love a heartless woman! And this Lacy--are you retaining him as a _corps de reserve_?" "He is nothing to me--." An ejaculation of extreme disgust interrupted her. "Now this is too much! Do you think then that a solitary manoeuvre has been unnoticed by me? that I have not divined even the motive of your altered behaviour to Miss Ross? You have either guessed or heard what has been told me within a day or two--that he was her lover last winter--either discarded, or engaged to her now. Have a care! you may be foiled with your own weapons! Adieu!" His mocking laugh rang through the room. Lelia remained where he left her; the ruddy glare lighting up features contorted by anger or grief. "Can it be?" she said--"But, no!" she smiled, contemptuously. "A made-up tale to work upon my jealousy! _That_ matters not at present--but this--yet I am not discouraged--he is the only one!" and muttering over--"He is the only one!" she lifted her bonnet and shawl, and carried them from the apartment. Astonishment had chained Ida's limbs and tongue after she realised that she was awake. She grew weak and sick at the accomplished duplicity of one so youthful, so faultless in seeming;--the windings of her arms about her neck--her kisses were like the coil and sting of a serpent. She detected the artfulness of her pretended confidence; her lures to inveigle her into some embarrassment or admission which would betray her acquaintance with Mr. Lacy. She had suspected her then; the change of manner followed too soon upon the recognition of the handwriting. She rejoiced that the house was to be freed of her on the morrow. If _he_ could be warned! but this was a prohibited subject to thought as to words, and she was learning how to govern both. There was a soiree that evening, and Ida had never been more happy to see company. Alice and Lelia came together to her room to say farewell, for they were both to start early in the morning.