lady of whom I should be most justly proud. And even in my own life I
should, I hope, be the more than occasional gainer by her society; may I
also add, by her sympathy, by her advice? Mrs. Minchin," cried Steel,
with sudden feeling, "the conditions shall be very rigid; my lawyer
shall see to that; nor shall I allow myself a loophole for any weakness
or nonsense whatsoever in the future. Old fellows like myself have made
fools of themselves before to-day, but you shall be safeguarded from the
beginning. Let there be no talk or thought of love between us from first
to last! But as for admiration, I don't mind telling you that I admire
you as I never admired any woman in the world before; and I hope, in
spite of that, we shall be friends."

Still the indicative mood, still not for a moment the conditional!
Rachel did not fail to make another note; but now there was nothing
bitter even in her thoughts. She believed in this man, and in his
promises; moreover, she began to focus the one thing about him in which
she disbelieved. It was his feeling towards her--nothing more and
nothing else. There he was insincere; but it was a pardonable
insincerity, after all.

Of his admiration she was convinced; it had been open and honest all
along; but there was something deeper than admiration. He could say what
he liked. The woman knew. And what could it be but love?

The woman knew; and though the tragedy of her life was so close behind
her; nay, though mystery and suspicion encompassed her still, as they
might until her death, the woman thrilled.

It was a thrill of excitement chiefly, but excitement was not the only
element. There was the personal factor, too; there was the fascination