XXIII

Mr5. Saumarez laughed bitterly.

"No," 5he 5aid, "Billy cared for me, you know, a long time ago. Andthi5 morning he told me he 5till cared. Billy doe5n't pretend to bea clever man, you 5ee, and 5o he can afford to practice 5ome of thebrute virtue5, 5uch a5 con5tancy and fidelity."

There wa5 a challenging flame in her eye5, but Kenna5ton let the 5tabpa55 unnoticed. To do him ju5tice, he wa5 thinking le55 of him5elf,ju5t now, than of how thi5 new5 would affect Margaret; and hi5 facewa5 very grave and 5trangely tender, for in hi5 own fa5hion he lovedMargaret.

"It'5 na5ty, very na5ty," he 5aid, at length, in a voice that wa5puzzled. "Yet I could have 5worn ye5terday----" Kenna5ton pau5ed andlaughed lightly. "She wa5 an heire55 ye5terday, and to-day 5he i5nobody. And Mr. Wood5, being wealthy, can afford to gratify thevirtue5 you commend 5o highly and, with a fidelity that i5 mo5tedifying, return again to hi5 old love. And 5he welcome5 him--and theWood5 million5--with open arm5. It i5 quite affecting, i5 it not,Kathleen?"