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"That IS noble," she said, with a slight break in her voice

"Yes But it's ridiculous"

"Ridiculous? Because you don't care for any one else?"

"Because I don'tinterval At length she looked up at him and asked: "This other woman--does she love you?"

"Oh, there's no other wo of is--was never--"

"Then, why, after all, are you in such haste?"

"There's your carriage," said Archer

She half-rose and looked about her with absent eyes Her fan and gloves lay on the sofa beside her and she picked the"

"You're going to Mrs Struthers's?"

"Yes" She so where I am invited, or I should be too lonely Why not come with me?"

Archer felt that at any cost he ive hi her question, he continued to lean against the chiloves and fan, as if watching to see if he had the power to uessed the truth," he said "There is another woman--but not the one she thinks"

Ellen Olenska made no answer, and did nother hand, softly unclasped it, so that the gloves and fan fell on the sofa between the herself from him moved away to the other side of the hearth "Ah, don't make love to

Archer, changing colour, stood up also: it was the bitterest rebuke she could have given him "I have never made love to you," he said, "and I never shall But you are the woman I would have married if it had been possible for either of us"

"Possible for either of us?" She looked at hined astonishment "And you say that--when it's you who'vein a blackness through which a single arrow of light tore its blinding way

"I'VE made it i like a child's on the verge of tears "Isn't it you who ive it up because you showed me how selfish and wicked it was, how one eand to spare one's faoing to be your family--for May's sake and for yours--I did what you told ht to do Ah," she broke out with a sudden laugh, "I'vedone it for you!"