"You, George!" she gasped, her face blanching. "Yes, darling," he answered. "I called at your address at Nice, but they told me you had come over here, so I followed. But what's the matter?" he asked, in consternation. "You are not well. How white you look! Tell me what is worrying you?" "Nothing," she answered, with a forced laugh. "Nothing whatever, I assure you. I--I wasn't aware that I looked at all pale. Your sudden appearance startled me." But George regarded her with suspicion. He knew from the look of intense anxiety upon her fair countenance that she was concealing the truth. "Is the Captain with you?" he inquired after an awkward pause. "Yes, he is inside," she answered. "But why have you come here?" "To see you, Liane," he said, earnestly. "I could no longer bear to be parted from you, so one night I resolved to run out and spend a week or so in Nice, and here I am." Her face had assumed a strange, perplexed look. He knew nothing of Zertho's existence, for loving him so well she had hesitated day by day to write and tell him the hideous truth. She saw that he must now know all. She raised her clear, wonderful eyes to his as she stammered a question, asking if that was his first visit to the Riviera. "Yes," he answered, gazing around at the Casino, the mountains, and the sea. "How charming it is here. I don't wonder that you are so fond of it." "I'm not fond of it?" she protested, with a sigh. "I would rather be in England--much rather." "Yet you are half-French yourself! Surely this is gayer and much more pleasant than Stratfield Mortimer," he exclaimed, leaning with his back to the balustrade, glancing at her elegant dress, and noticing how well it suited her. "The surroundings are perhaps more picturesque," she replied, turning her gaze sea-ward. "But I was far happier there than here," She sighed and the little gloved hand holding her sunshade trembled. "Why?" he inquired surprised. For an instant she raised her eyes to his, then lowering her gaze, answered,-- "Why do you ask? Did I not then have you?" "But I am here now," he said quickly. "I must, however, admit that your welcome was scarcely as cordial as I expected." Her lips tightened, and she swallowed the lump rising in her throat. "I--I cannot kiss you here, in a public place," she said, with a little gesture of regret. The strange coldness about her voice caused him dismay. It proved that the apparent apathy of her letters actually arose from indifference. His suspicions were correct. Her love had grown cold. A heavy look of disappointment crossed his face, as pausing a moment, he glanced at her, and saw that she shivered. "Come," he exclaimed. "You have, I believe, stood here too long. The breeze is perhaps chilly. Let us walk." "I'm not cold at all," she assured him, without moving. "Except towards me," he observed, gloomily. "I wasn't aware that my attitude was one of indifference," she said, endeavouring to smile.