She took a few steps towards him, but he hurried away as if to attend to a call from their hostess, who was smiling at the end of the room. The next moment Cora saw her take the arm of the Master of the Ceremonies and go through a farther door. Impossible to speak to him now. It was as if Mrs Pontardent had divined the reason of her coming, and was fighting against her with all her might. Another gentleman approached, but she shrank away nervously, expecting each moment to see again her companion of the dark walk. All at once, to her great joy, she caught sight of Mrs Barclay, looking in colour like a full-blown cabbage-rose, and exhaling scent. She hurried up to the plump pink dame, to be saluted with: "Ah, my dear, how handsome you do look to-night!" "Where's Claire Denville?" cried Cora huskily. "Claire, my dear? Oh, she was with me ever so long, but she has just gone down the grounds." A spasm seemed to shoot through Cora Dean as she said to herself: "Too late!" Volume Two, Chapter XXV. MELLERSH IS CONVINCED. "Well, Dick," said Mellersh, as he sought Linnell out, after a stroll round the rooms in search of Cora Dean, "how long are you going to keep yourself on the gridiron?" "I don't understand you." "Then I shall not try to explain." "Have you seen anything?" "N-no." "Don't hesitate, man; you have?" "No, Dick, no. Of course, I've seen a certain young lady, and I've seen Rockley hanging about." "Well, that proves nothing, does it?" "My dear Dick, why should I waste my breath on a man in your condition?" "My condition, you wretched old cynic? You never knew what it was to love." "Wrong. I have loved, and I am in love now." "You? You?" "Yes, my boy, and with a woman who cares for somebody else; but I don't go stalking about like a tragedy hero, and rolling my eyes and cursing the whole world. If I cannot have the moon, I shall not cry for it." "Hist! There goes Rockley." "Well, let him go." Richard Linnell made no reply, but quietly followed the Major. "I mustn't let them meet without me there," thought Mellersh. "The scoundrel might hit him badly next time." He strode off after Richard Linnell, but missed him, and it was quite half an hour before they met again. "I have been about the gate," said Richard hoarsely. "There is no post-chaise there." "Then it is a hoax." "No; I cannot think that it is. Rockley is yonder, and he is watching about in a curious, restless way that means something." "Where is he?" "Over there by the saloon window." "Oh, my dear Dick, I am hungry for a good hand at whist, and to win a little Philistine gold, and here you keep me hanging about after you, looking for a mare's nest." "I can't stop," said Linnell. "Where shall I find you if I want you?" "Here, on this seat, under this bush, smoking a cigar. No; I'll stick by you, my lad." They went off together, and, going straight up to the window pointed out by Linnell, found that Rockley was not there.