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"Well, please be quick; you knoe are late I ear----" she

paused a ht The beauty

which had caught Drake in the past, the beauty which was to ensnare hileford coronet, ray and the pearls, please," she

said, after a moment or two of consideration "Why, what is the matter

with you?" she asked sharply, as she saw the reflection of Burden's face

in the glass "Are you ill, or what?"

Burden tried to force the color to her face and keep her hands steady

"I--I am not very well, my lady," she faltered "I--I have had bad

news"

"Bad news! What news?" asked Lady Luce coldly

"My--mother is very ill, my lady," replied Burden, on the spur of the

ular thing that persons of your class are always in some

trouble or other; you are either ill yourselves, or so I am very sorry and all that, Burden, but I hope

you were not thinking of asking o home, because I really

could not just now"