"Mrs. Malton," she muttered, in a puzzled tone. "Evan Malton's wife! what does she want, I wonder? I thought I was too wicked for virtue to call on me--it appears I'm not." She glanced at the card again, then made up her mind. "Show the lady in," she said calmly; and, when the servant disappeared, she called Meg. "Mumsey's sweetheart must go away for a few minutes." "What for?" asked mumsey's sweetheart, setting her small mouth. "Mumsey has to see a lady on business." Meg collected the bricks in a pinafore, and walked off to the French window, when she turned. "Meg will play outside," she said, shaking her curls, "and will come in when mumsey calls." Scarcely had Meg vanished when the servant threw open the door and announced,-- "Mrs. Malton." A tall, slender girl entered the room quickly, and, as the door closed behind, paused a moment and looked steadily at Kitty through her thick veil. "Mrs. Malton?" said Kitty interrogatively. The visitor bowed, and, throwing back her veil, displayed a face of great beauty; but she had a restless, pitiful look in her eyes, and occasionally she moistened her dry lips with her tongue. "Will you take a seat?" said the actress politely, taking in at a glance the beautiful, tired face and quiet, dark costume of her visitor. "Thank you," replied Mrs. Malton, in a low, clear voice, and sat down in the chair indicated by her hostess, nervously clasping and unclasping her hands over the ivory handle of her umbrella. She glanced at Kitty again in a shrinking kind of manner, then, with a sudden effort, burst out quickly,-- "I have called--I have called to see you about my--my husband." Kitty's lip curled, and she resumed her seat with an enigmatical smile. "Yes; what about him?" "Cannot you guess?" said Mrs. Malton imploringly. Kitty shook her head in a supercilious manner. "I am at a loss to understand the reason of your visit," she said, in a cold, measured manner. "I am Evan Malton's wife," said the other rapidly. "We have only been married a year--and--and we have one child." "I presume you did not call to inform me of your domestic affairs," replied Kitty mercilessly. "He was so fond of me--we loved one another devotedly till--till--" "Till he met me, I suppose," said Kitty coolly, throwing herself back with an amused laugh. "I've heard that complaint before--you wives never seem to know how to retain your husbands' affections." "Give him back to me--oh give him back to me," cried the young wife, clasping her hands. "You have many richer and better than he. I love my husband, and you have parted us--oh, do--do--give him back to me." "My dear Mrs. Malton," replied the actress coldly, "I do not encourage him, I assure you. He's a bore, and I detest bores." "But he loves you--he loves you--he worships the ground you tread on." "A waste of good material; for his devotion will never be rewarded." "Then you don't love him?" said Mrs. Malton breathlessly.