She had almost ended her visit when the outer door opened and Luzanne
Larue entered carrying a dish she placed on the table, eyeing Junia
closely. First they bowed to each other, and Junia gave a pleasant
smile, but instantly she felt here was a factor in her own life--how,
she could not tell.

To Luzanne, the face of Junia had no familiar feature, and yet she felt
here was one whose life's lines crossed her own. So it was she presently
said, "Who are you, ma'm'selle?" in a sharp voice. As Junia did not
reply at once, she put the question in another form: "What is your name,
ma'm'selle?"

"It is Junia Shale," said the other calmly, yet with heart beating hard.
Somehow the question foreshadowed painful things, associated with Carnac.
Her first glance at Luzanne showed the girl was well dressed, that she
had a face of some beauty, that her eyes were full of glamour--black and
bold, and, in a challenging way, beautiful. It was a face and figure
full of daring. She was not French-Canadian; yet she was French; that
was clear from her accent. Yet the voice had an accent of crudity, and
the plump whiteness of the skin and waving fulness of the hair gave the
girl a look of an adventuress. She was dressed in black with a white
collar which, by contrast, seemed to heighten her unusual nature.

At first Junia shuddered, for Luzanne's presence made her uneasy; yet the
girl must have good qualities, for she had brought comforts to the sick
woman, and indeed, within, madame had spoken of the "dear beautiful
stranger." That could be no other than this girl. She became composed.
Yet she had a feeling that between them was a situation needing all her
resources. About what? She would soon know, and she gave her name at