“Then where is he now? Why are you with Cullen instead of----” Her voice broke with emotion, and the crafty Letty rejoined meekly: “Oh, Mrs. Sherwood, can’t you understand? He--that Dallas Bain, was a--betrayer of innocence! After he persuaded me to go away he wouldn’t marry me. He got tired of me in a month, and then he disappeared, the wretch! Then I was starving--I tried to find him, but I could not, and I was going to drown myself when I chanced to meet Cullen, who had come to the city to look for me--to kill me, as he said. But my misery melted his heart. He forgave me, and agreed to make an honest woman of me if I would behave myself. So I married him, the good, kind soul, and--oh, there he is waiting for me now. Excuse me, ladies;” and Letty darted away to join her husband, who had sneaked back to the corner. Annette felt like a criminal before her friend that she did not cry out that Letty’s story was a falsehood, that Dallas Bain was true and good, and that his sweetheart had been lured away from him by the most dastardly plot in the world. She could have wept as she saw the white agony of Daisie’s face--poor Daisie, whose springing hopes had been so cruelly dashed to earth again, for it did not occur to her to cast doubt on Letty’s specious story. But again Annette said to herself that in this case ignorance was bliss. She dare not speak, for Daisie’s own sake. But she put her arm around the girl’s trembling form and supported her up the steps. “Oh, my poor dear, you are almost fainting! I wish you had not spoken to that hussy!” she lamented. Mrs. Fleming was startled at the pallor of her visitor, and exclaimed: “You have had an accident?” “No; she has seen Cullen and his wife, Letty, outside your door,” explained Annette, as she held Daisie’s head against her breast and patted her cold cheek. Mrs. Fleming rang for wine, and helped Annette to fuss over agitated Daisie. “No wonder she is unnerved, poor child!” she said. “I suppose they told you their romantic story--that Mr. Bain deserted Letty, and Cullen found her about to drown herself, and married her offhand. Well, this is the second time that they have come here begging to be taken back into my service. Of course, I refused, although they were very good help when I had them. But I knew Daisie would not wish to see them about. Drink a little of this wine, dear, it will help you. Now, tell me how Royall likes his new companion. Finds him charming, does he? I am very glad of that. He is very handsome and distinguished-looking, is he not? Do you know there is something familiar about him, as if I had seen him before? And it almost seems to me it was at Gull Beach? Can you recall anything familiar about him, Annette?” CHAPTER XXXII. THE SPIDER’S WEB. Mrs. Fleming was not looking straight at Annette when she asked her question, or she would have seen a deep crimson mount to the young girl’s brow as she answered evasively: