“Home!” he said to himself bitterly. “I have no home--no prospect of home. No home, no peace, no rest. I am like a gambler who has staked and lost a fortune at one fatal throw. And my unrest is made all the more poignant by the tempting will-o’-the-wisp fate has sent to dance before me, mockingly.” CHAPTER XIX. BLANCHE DORMER’S SURPRISE. The peace and purity of the night indisposed Lois to talk, and Blanche was meditating on how far the proprieties might admit of her sounding her new friend on the subject of the supposed estrangement. So neither spoke for several minutes. “A night like this always reminds me of the moonlight-scene in the ‘Merchant of Venice,’” Blanche said, at length. “I was afraid the storm would last until morning; perhaps I was also afraid mama would scold terribly. But I think when she is really alarmed, she is too much upset to be able to scold in proper style. I like these summer storms; the weird lightning has such a mystic beauty of its own. I lost my head this afternoon, but that was because we were in such a dangerous place, and a little because I was frightened on your account, as you seemed so terrified.” “I am nervous in a storm, always,” Lois said deprecatingly, for she felt ashamed of her weakness. “I think it was a special mercy your friend, Captain Desfrayne, came to our rescue. No doubt you were amazed when you saw him. But I suppose you knew he was coming down to this neighborhood?” “I know nothing of his movements or plans,” Lois replied calmly. “I never heard his name until last Friday.” Miss Dormer absolutely sprang back, and stared at her new friend in speechless surprise. Her theory had been upset so precipitately that she was at a loss for words. “I--I thought--I fancied--that is----” she stammered, for she felt fairly confounded, and much as if she had walked into a trap. She heartily wished she could entirely control her amazement and vexation at the absurdity of her mistake, but her looks and manner betrayed her. “What do you think?” innocently inquired Lois. “Why--that is----” “You hesitate, Blanche?” “I am afraid you will be offended.” “With you? Impossible. Pray be frank with me.” “You promised not to be vexed?” “I could not be vexed with you, my dear friend. What did you think?” “Honestly, I thought you and Captain Desfrayne had had a lovers’ quarrel,” Blanche said. Lois broke into a peal of silvery laughter, caused partly by surprise, partly by pique and anger--not toward Blanche, but toward the unhappy captain. She threw back her head with a little scornful gesture. “You thought so? What could have led you to imagine such a strange thing?” “Because--I don’t know how I came to be so foolish, but--well, I saw him look at you----” “At me?”