"I have found the Stanleys, but Miss Conway is not with them. She married Jack Tennant two weeks ago, and went to California on her wedding tour. EARLE." CHAPTER XXIX. THE PRICE OF A SECRET. "As roses when the warm west blows Break to full flower and sweeten spring, My soul would break to a glorious rose, In such wise at his whispering; In vain I listen; well away! My love says nothing any day!"--SWINBURNE. Although Congress was not to convene until the usual time in December, the Winans family went to Washington in October's last bright days ere the golden autumn haze was dimmed by the gray mists and fogs of November. Among the series of fashionable entertainments with which the gay world opened the social season the coming out of Precious Winans marked a brilliant event. Since her mother's first appearance in Washington society years ago as the senator's bride no such wonderful beauty had carried society by storm. Society raved over the girl, to whose wondrous charms was added the sensation of last March, when, after her kidnaping at the Inauguration Ball, she had been so romantically rescued by Lord Chester. Her admirers were legion. She had a social triumph so splendid that it might have turned any young girl's head. But Precious did not enjoy it as she would have done last winter, when all her artless heart had been set on long dresses and social pleasures. The beautiful girl was strangely changed from six months ago. Her pretty childishness had dropped from her like a garment, and in its place was a new, sweet dignity almost womanly. Much of her willfulness had left her, and instead of opposing Ethel as she had done in the old days Precious yielded passively to her sister's wishes, often saying, with a pensive shade on her brow: "We must let Ethel have her own way about everything, because we are going to lose her so soon." Ethel was radiant in those days. She did not envy her sister's social triumphs, she rejoiced in her success, and was always watching closely to see if any lover ever touched the girl's heart. And surely, she thought, there were so many to choose from that Precious must yield her heart to one. In the list of conquests were numbered a millionaire senator, middle-aged but handsome; a member of the French Legation, a German baron with his breast covered with jeweled orders of honor, two Southern colonels, a noted Northern general, and several score of "gilded" youths. No girl in her senses could reject all these brilliant opportunities. But Precious had the same cheerful smile, the same kindly word for all, and if twitted in the domestic circle about her adorers she always cried out that she never intended to marry any one. She loved papa and mamma so well that she would never go away and leave them. Earle and Ethel would marry, of course--but as for her, no indeed, never!