If she had ever cherished for Doctor Ludington the secret tenderness that Eva jealously suspected, she forgot it when she met Eva’s lover, the handsome young man of the world, with his society airs and graces all brought into play for the entertainment of his sweetheart’s pretty friend from the country. Ada lost her heart in secret to the fascinating young millionaire and wondered how Eva could remain so cold to her grand lover. Doctor Ludington was all very well, grand and handsome, and would be very rich from his oil wells in time. But Ada had known him so long that he lacked the charm of novelty. Besides, she was convinced, in spite of his show of indifference, that his heart would never really stray from Eva, its idol. She dared not cherish any hope of winning Hamilton, yet it came as a great shock to her when Eva announced her engagement to him. Her very lips whitened with emotion, and she added gaspingly: “I--I--am sorry that I ever came to New York. It has only brought sorrow to us all!” Poor Eva, distressed beyond measure, faltered: “Oh, Ada, and we have all tried in our poor way to make you happy! I am surprised at you. If I were free, like you, to marry Doctor Ludington I would not envy the very angels in heaven!” “Eva, you have no right to marry Reggie if you cannot give him your heart!” Ada cried out, almost harshly in her jealous pain. “But, Ada, I am really fond of him in a way. We have always been quite good comrades, and they all say I will love him dearly when we are married. And I am willing to try it, for I need something to change the tenor of my thoughts, to take me quite out of myself. We shall be happy, I’m sure, Reggie and I together, and I want you to make Doctor Ludington think so, too,” Eva answered eagerly. “It almost seems to me, dear, that you are marrying another just to spite Doctor Ludington, and that would be very wrong,” protested Ada. Eva’s pale lips parted in a mocking laugh. “What queer fancies you have, Ada! It is nothing of the kind. I am marrying to please papa, auntie, Reggie, and, of course, myself! Think how grand I shall be. I shall have the Hamilton diamonds, the finest in New York. Good night, dear,” and with a burning kiss on Ada’s cheek she flitted from the room. Ada threw herself down weeping in a paroxysm of the bitterest despair, sobbing: “I must have it all out with myself now, and that must be the last of it. He belongs to another, and I must forget him!” Hot, burning tears flowed down her cheeks, and she did not restrain them. She said to herself that it was the funeral of hopes she had dared to vaguely cherish, she had scarcely understood why. He had been kind to her, very kind, every time they met, that was true, but then, of course, it was only because she was Eva’s friend. No doubt Eva had asked him to do so.