"He is doing it to pique me," she thought; but she could not turn her burning dark eyes away from the sight. Alpine looked up smilingly into the pale, anxious face. "She told me to come to-morrow and see her and hear her story; there was not time to-night," she replied. He was disappointed; she read it in his speaking countenance, and added: "She gave me one bit of news, but I am not sure that I ought to tell you." "Please do so," he urged. "It will pain you, I fear," sighed Alpine. "I am strong enough to bear anything except--suspense," setting his teeth firmly. Mrs. Carew was looking at them curiously: "Mamma, will you please excuse us for whispering? I have something to tell Mr. Chainey--a secret." "You are excusable," the lady replied, sourly, turning away her head. Alpine whispered to Ralph: "Kathleen is engaged to be married to Teddy Darrell, and is the happiest girl I ever saw!" He was silent a moment, then murmured, bitterly: "She has no heart! How could she turn so quickly from one love to another?" "She is fickle as the wind," Alpine answered, with a contemptuous shrug. CHAPTER XXXVI. A CRUEL STAB. My ship sails forth with sable sails Over Life's stormy sea; Thou knowest how heavy is my woe, And still thou woundest me. H. HEINE. Alpine had come and gone. Under a mask of sweetness and love, she had tortured Kathleen's heart. "My dear girl, how fortunate you are to have caught Teddy Darrell!" she exclaimed, after Kathleen had told her the story of her adventures, save and excepting about Fedora's claim that she was Ralph Chainey's wife. That one dread secret the girl kept locked close in her heart. "Fortunate!" Kathleen echoed, dully. "Yes," Alpine answered. "He is rich, and unless you are going to marry him, it does not look well for you to remain with Mrs. Stone." "But, Alpine, I have no other place to go. Mrs. Stone is my only friend." "She is your friend because her cousin wants to marry you, and if you refuse Teddy, she will be very angry." "Do you think so, Alpine?" the young girl exclaimed, startled at the idea. "I am sure of it. My advice to you is to marry Teddy." "But I do not love him, Alpine. I--I loved Ralph Chainey--once--so dearly that I feel that I can never love another." "Why have you turned against Ralph?" asked her step-sister, curiously. "I can not tell you," faltered Kathleen. "Do you love him still?" "No," Kathleen answered, spiritedly; but Alpine did not believe one word. "Kathleen, how would you like to come back home?" she asked. "Your mother would not permit it," sighed the young girl. "It is because she does not believe you are really Kathleen. She thinks you an impostor. I have been talking to her, trying to get her consent to bring you home." Kathleen looked curiously at her step-sister, puzzled by her odd air of hesitancy.