At Love's Cost

"I have come for your congratulation, sir," he said, in a voice which,

though not loud, was so clear as to break through the row. "Miss

Falconer has promised to be my wife!"

A silence, so sudden as to be startling, fell upon the hot and crowded

room; then, as Sir Stephen grasped his son's hand, a din of voices

arose, an excited buzz of congratulations and good wishes. Stafford

faced them all, his face pale and set, his lips curved with a forced

smile, his eyes flashing, but lit with a sombre fire. There was a smile

on his lips, a false amiability in his eyes, but there was so much of

madness in his heart that he was afraid lest at any moment he should

dash the glass to the ground and break out into cursing.

An hour later he found himself in his room, and waving Measom away from

him, he went to the window and flung it wide open, and stood there with

his hands against his throbbing brow; and though no word came from his

parched lips, his heart cried: "Ida! Ida!" with all the agony of despair.