She had but one fear, but that was growing intense. Agnes Dinon continued to be fond of Phil; there was no other man to whom she ever saw Agnes appear so cheerful and unconstrained. Could it be that the heiress was playing a deep game for the prize that to Lucia seemed the only one in view? She had seen wonderful successes made by girls as old as Agnes, when they had any money as a reserve force, and she trembled as she thought of the possibilities. Agnes was old,--dreadfully old,--it seemed to Lucia, but she was undeniably handsome, her manners were charming, and she was smart beyond compare. She had declared that her interest in Phil was only in his position as Lucia’s admirer; but--people did not always tell the truth when they were in love. Lucia herself had told a number of lies--the very whitest of white lies--about her own regard for Phil: suppose Agnes were doing likewise? If she were---- Lucia’s little finger-nails made deep prints on the palms of her hands as she thought of it. She told herself, in her calmer moments, that such a thought was unworthy of her and insulting to Agnes, who really had been friendly and even affectionate to her. In wakeful hours at night, however, or in some idle hours during the day, she fell into jealousy, and each successive tumble made her thraldom the more hopeless. She tried to escape by rallying Phil about Agnes, but the young man, supposing her to be merely playful in her teasing, did his best to continue the joke, and was utterly blind to the results. At last there came an explosion. At a party which was to Lucia unspeakably stupid, there being no dancing, Miss Dinon monopolized Phil for a full hour,--a thousand hours, it seemed to Lucia,--and they sat on a sofa, too, that was far retired, in an end of a room which once had been a conservatory. Lucia watched for an opportunity to demand an explanation: it seemed it never would come, but finally an old lady who was the head and front of a small local missionary effort in the South called the young man aside. In an instant Lucia seated herself beside Agnes Dinon, saying, as she gave her fan a vicious twitch,-- “You seem to find Mr. Hayn very entertaining?” “Indeed I do,” said Miss Dinon, “I haven’t spent so pleasant an hour this season, until this evening.” “Oh!” exclaimed Lucia, and the unoffending fan flew into two pieces. “My dear girl!” exclaimed Agnes, picking up one of the fragments. “It’s really wicked to be so careless.” “Thank you,” said Lucia, with a grand air--for so small a woman. “I thought it was about time for an apology.” Miss Dinon looked sidewise in amazement. “The subject of conversation must have been delightful,” Lucia continued. “Indeed it was,” said Agnes. Lucia looked up quickly. Fortunately for Miss Dinon, the artificial light about them was dim. “You told me once,” said Lucia, collecting her strength for a grand effort, “that----” “Yes?” “That--that----”