“Excuse me; but that would not be right, and I fear that I have been very unwise to speak of it at all. The girl is gone, and I have no wish to injure her; I only hope she may repent of her folly, and try to do better in the future. Please forget what I have said, Mr. Dredmond, and do not remember it against her if you should ever meet her again. I assure you it is a very painful topic to me.” After a few moments more spent in general conversation Adrian arose to go. “Can you give me Miss Douglas’ present address?” he asked. “I would really like to return what belongs to her.” She would not have told him for a kingdom, had she known, but she replied, with every appearance of kindness: “How sorry I am, but really I do not know. Indeed, I was so shocked and disappointed to discover one so young and lovely so old in guilt, that it did not occur to me to ask where she was going.” It nettled him exceedingly to have her talk thus; and could she have read his heart, she would have seen at once that there was little chance of her becoming “my lady.” “Should you discover where she is, will you kindly inform me?” he asked. “Oh, certainly, with great pleasure,” smiled the fascinating hypocrite. “I still think you will find there has been some mistake, Miss Coolidge,” he added gravely. “I knew something of Miss Douglas before meeting her in this country, and the statement you have made regarding her seems utterly impossible.” “You!” exclaimed Isabel, her heart bounding wildly. “Did you know Miss Douglas in America?” Perhaps, after all, here was the solution of the mystery of those beautiful gems, and that card with the names of counts and lords upon it. Had he had anything to do with it? Her brain reeled at the thought. She hung breathless on his reply. “I knew of her, although I never made her acquaintance, until your brother introduced me at the opera the other evening.” She breathed more freely now; he had not given Brownie the gems, that was evident. He knew nothing of the card. “I have friends who know her intimately,” he went on, watching her keenly, to mark the effect of his words. “She was a Philadelphian, and belonged to a very wealthy and honorable family. About a month ago—perhaps a little more—death and misfortune suddenly deprived her of everything. She is very highly educated, as undoubtedly you have discovered, and before the trouble came upon her, she moved in the very best circles. I speak of this merely to show you why I believe it impossible for Miss Douglas to be guilty of what you accuse her. I trust, also, to hear ere long that you have been mistaken.” And with this thorn planted in Miss Isabel’s conscience, Adrian Dredmond bowed himself from her presence, leaving her astounded, confused, and with a heavy weight of guilt upon her heart. What had she done?