"And I could tell you something perhaps," said Frances, "that might make you change your mind." "I'd like to hear it!" "Oh, but it wouldn't be right. I never talk about my young lady's secrets." "But you might tell _me_," urged Kitty, artfully, "I've been so open with you." "Come down to the laundry then, while I press out these flounces," and the two maids flitted downstairs to whisper over the secrets that their respective mistresses had fondly fancied were buried in the recesses of their own hearts. And so each way I turned, there was a new dagger to stab me. No wonder that as Kitty said, I had no heart for anything, and only longed to be away and be at rest. Anxiety was added to the remorse and regret that I had first thought insupportable, and such an anxiety as made my nights sleepless, and my days a misery. No wonder that my white face, and the dark ring around my eyes bore hourly witness to the heaviness of my heart. "Why so sad and pale, young sinner?" called out Grace that evening, as about an hour after tea we were dispersing to our rooms to dress for the all-important occasion. "I think you ought to appear as Mariana, and sing 'I am aweary, aweary;' don't you think so, Mr. Rutledge?" "Miss Grace, I haven't given the subject enough thought." "I would give worlds to know what you are going to wear, Mr. Rutledge!" exclaimed Josephine. "But I _know_ I shall detect you instantly. I should know your step and carriage under twenty dominoes, and among a thousand people." "Pretty high figures those, Joseph! Phil, I shall know you by your stride, and you couldn't disguise your voice if you practised a year, and that bow is 'Philip Arbuthnot, His Mark,' all the world over!" "The best way to disguise our voices," said Capt. McGuffy, "is to speak French. I think we had all better agree to do it." "Ella will not object," said Grace, "now Mr. Viennet is not here to criticise." "Hush, Grace!" cried her sister maliciously. "How can you be so thoughtless? Why do you continually harrow up your cousin's feelings. By the way, this is the day the steamer sails, is it not?" "No, yesterday," said Ellerton. "The list of passengers will be in to-day's papers. Has the mail come yet, Mr. Rutledge?" "There is Thomas with it now." Thomas deposited the package on the hall table and withdrew. I was standing nearest of the group to it, and putting out my hand, took up the "Times." The others approached and with great interest examined the letters. "Why my dear!" said Josephine pleasantly, "I'm astonished that there's none for you! Not a word since he went away. That doesn't look devoted!" The color went and came in my face, but it wasn't the taunt that I minded. "Never mind!" cried Grace, "don't break its heart about him! It shall have another lover, it shall have the big Mason, so it shall!" "May I trouble you for the 'Times' one moment?" asked Ellerton Wynkar, "I want to look over the departures."