At Love's Cost

"All right," said Bertie, "come along! But I warn you, you'll only meet

with a cold reception; just a smile and a word and then she'll look

away as if she'd forgotten your existence, and had not the least desire

to remember it."

"Oh, I'm used to that," said Howard. "Lead on."

As they crossed the room, Howard's acute brain was hard at work. There

was something in Stafford's conduct, a tone in his letters which Howard

could never understand; but now, in the light of Bertie's mysterious

communication, he thought he discerned a solution of the problem over

which he had pondered for many an hour. Stafford had been unhappy

during the whole of his engagement to poor Maude; he had exiled himself

again immediately after her death, though, as Howard knew, he was well

enough off now to return to England and to live, at any rate, in a

quiet way. If there was anything in Bertie's suggestion--Howard pursed

his lips with an air of determination. If there was anything, then he

would find it out and act accordingly. Stafford's happiness was very

precious to Howard, and in the quiet, resolute, cynical way

characteristic to him, he resolved that if that happiness lay in the

hands of this beautiful girl with the sad eyes and lips, he, Howard,

would do his best to persuade her to yield it up.

His reception was certainly not encouraging. Ida glanced at him, and

returned his bow with a slight inclination of her head, and then looked

away as if she had done all that could be demanded of her; and it was

with a faint surprise, perceptible in her face, that she heard Howard

say, in his slow, and rather drawling voice: "There is a conservatory behind that glass door, Miss Heron; it is not

very far from the madding crowd, but it must be cooler than here. Will

you let me take you to it?"

She hesitated for a moment, but something in the steady regard of

Howard's calm and sleepy eyes impressed her.

"Very well," she said; "but I think I'm engaged for this next dance,

and I must not go far away. I have already broken two or three

engagements."

"In that case you can come without hesitation," he said. "It is the

first crime that costs a pang, having passed that the downward course

is easy and painless."

He led her to a seat, and with the cool determination which Stafford

always admired in him, began at once; for he did not wish to give her

time to slip on her woman's armour; he intended to strike quickly,

unexpectedly, so that she should not be able to conceal the effect of

the blow.