“It is only a faint,” said Miss Drusilla, “But I wish you would carry her to her room, Talbot.” “If you will lead the way,” he replied; and the ladies exchanged glances. What a strange husband not even to know where his wife’s room was. He took the slender young form up tenderly in his strong arms, and followed Miss Drusilla from the room. Mrs. St. Alban sent a long look, full of hatred, after the retreating forms. “I will be revenged for this,” she muttered, clenching her tiny fist angrily under the silken folds of her dress. “I will not be thrown aside for that impertinent, black-eyed minx! So she saw me with him in the conservatory, did she? Well, I meant that she should. That theatrical scene was intended for her benefit. She is madly jealous; she knows already that he loves me, that he has loved me for years. I intended that she should know it, but she has found it out by Talbot’s bungling, not by my telling. That is best. All is working well for my purpose; all but Talbot himself. How dare he throw me over after all our hopes and plans? But he shall not do it. I will not give him up. I will yet win him for my husband. I love him, and I will not give him up to that disdainful heiress, not if he were hers by even a stronger tie than he is!” And as she lay there in sullen anger, a diabolical purpose entered her soul. Dashing the angry tears from her cheeks, she rose and trailed her rich silken robes slowly over the floor to where the two young girls were whispering together. “Did you ever hear such an ill-bred, unprovoked attack?--and in her own house, too?”--she exclaimed, “I never was so insulted in my life! I shall go back to Baltimore in the morning. If Duke Cameron won’t take me in the yacht, I’ll go on the earliest steamer!” “I want to go, too,” said Virgie Mason, “somehow I feel mean, although I didn’t dream that I should cause such a scene by my idle curiosity. But, oh, Sib, I love Mrs. Strangemore, and I feel sorry for her. Only fancy her feelings! she saw you--we all saw you--among the flowers, with your arms around Talbot Strangemore and your head on his breast,” and she flashed a look that was almost contempt upon the flaxen haired blonde. Mrs. St. Alban had the grace to color under the reproachful glance of those pure young eyes, then she crested her head defiantly. “How could I help it if Talbot Strangemore caught me in his arms and kissed me and cried out that he was wretched in his marriage to that girl?” she said. “He has been in love with me six years, as you all know. I threw him over once for Mr. St. Alban, and since my husband’s death you know he has come back again as loving as ever. I am sorry for the girl, but how can I help Talbot’s loving me so?” “But indeed, Sibyl, I rather think you encouraged him to flirt with you--didn’t you now?” said frank Virgie.