further？〃
  The　captain　took　the　hint。　He　instantly　changed　the　subject；
  choosing；　on　this　occasion；　safe　professional　topics。　He　spoke　of
  ships　that　were　ordered　on　foreign　service；　and；　finding　that
  these　as　subjects　failed　to　interest　Mrs。　Crayford；　he　spoke　next
  of　ships　that　were　ordered　home　again。　This　last　experiment
  produced　its　effectan　effect　which　the　captain　had　not
  bargained　for。
  〃Do　you　know；〃　he　began；　〃that　the　_Atalanta_　is　expected　back
  from　the　West　Coast　of　Africa　every　day？　Have　you　any
  acquaintances　among　the　officers　of　that　ship？〃
  As　it　so　happened；　he　put　those　questions　to　Mrs。　Crayford　while
  they　were　engaged　in　one　of　the　figures　of　the　dance　which
  brought　them　within　hearing　of　the　opposite　couple。　At　the　same
  momentto　the　astonishment　of　her　friends　and　admirersMiss
  Clara　Burnham　threw　the　quadrille　into　confusion　by　making　a
  mistake！　Everybody　waited　to　see　her　set　the　mistake　right。　She
  made　no　attempt　to　set　it　rightshe　turned　deadly　pale　and
  caught　her　partner　by　the　arm。
  〃The　heat！〃　she　said；　faintly。　〃Take　me　awaytake　me　into　the
  air！〃
  Lieutenant　Crayford　instantly　led　her　out　of　the　dance；　and　took
  her　into　the　cool　and　empty　conservatory；　at　the　end　of　the　room。
  As　a　matter　of　course；　Captain　Helding　and　Mrs。　Crayford　left　the
  quadrille　at　the　same　time。　The　captain　saw　his　way　to　a　joke。
  〃Is　this　the　trance　coming　on？〃　he　whispered。　〃If　it　is；　as
  commander　of　the　Arctic　expedition；　I　have　a　particular　request
  to　make。　Will　the　Second　Sight　oblige　me　by　seeing　the　shortest
  way　to　the　Northwest　Passage；　before　we　leave　England？〃
  Mrs。　Crayford　declined　to　humor　the　joke。　〃If　you　will　excuse　my
  leaving　you；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃I　will　try　and　find　out　what　is
  the　matter　with　Miss　Burnham。〃
  At　the　entrance　to　the　conservatory；　Mrs。　Crayford　encountered
  her　husband。　The　lieutenant　was　of　middle　age；　tall　and　comely。　A
  man　with　a　winning　simplicity　and　gentleness　in　his　manner；　and
  an　irresistible　kindness　in　his　brave　blue　eyes。　In　one　word；　a
  man　whom　everybody　lovedincluding　his　wife。
  〃Don't　be　alarmed；〃　said　the　lieutenant。　〃The　heat　has　overcome
  herthat's　all。〃
  Mrs。　Crayford　shook　her　head；　and　looked　at　her　husband；　half
  satirically；　half　fondly。
  〃You　dear　old　innocent！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃that　excuse　may　do　for
  _you_。　For　my　part；　I　don't　believe　a　word　of　it。　Go　and　get
  another　partner；　and　leave　Clara　to　me。〃
  She　entered　the　conservatory　and　seated　herself　by　Clara's　side。
  Chapter　2。
  〃Now；　my　dear！〃　Mrs。　Crayford　began；　〃what　does　this　mean？〃
  〃Nothing。〃
  〃That　won't　do；　Clara。　Try　again。〃
  〃The　heat　of　the　room〃
  〃That　won't　do；　either。　Say　that　you　choose　to　keep　your　own
  secrets；　and　I　shall　understand　what　you　mean。〃
  Clara's　sad；　clear　gray　eyes　looked　up　for　the　first　time　in　Mrs。
  Crayford's　face；　and　suddenly　became　dimmed　with　tears。
  〃If　I　only　dared　tell　you！〃　she　murmured。　〃I　hold　so　to　your　good
  opinion　of　me；　Lucyand　I　am　so　afraid　of　losing　it。〃
  Mrs。　Crayford's　manner　changed。　Her　eyes　rested　gravely　and
  anxiously　on　Clara's　face。
  〃You　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　nothing　can　shake　my　affection　for
  you；〃　she　said。　〃Do　justice；　my　child；　to　your　old　friend。　There
  is　nobody　here　to　listen　to　what　we　say。　Open　your　heart；　Clara。
  I　see　you　are　in　trouble；　and　I　want　to　comfort　you。〃
  Clara　began　to　yield。　In　other　words；　she　began　to　make
  conditions。
  〃Will　you　promise　to　keep　what　I　tell　you　a　secret　from　every
  living　creature？〃　she　began。
  Mrs。　Crayford　met　that　question；　by　putting　a　question　on　her
  side。
  〃Does　'every　living　creature'　include　my　husband？〃
  〃Your　husband　more　than　anybody！　I　love　him；　I　revere　him。　He　is
  so　noble；　he　is　so　good！　If　I　told　him　what　I　am　going　to　tell
  you；　he　would　despise　me。　Own　it　plainly；　Lucy；　if　I　am　asking
  too　much　in　asking　you　to　keep　a　secret　from　your　husband。〃
  〃Nonsense；　child！　When　you　are　married；　you　will　know　that　the
  easiest　of　all　secrets　to　keep　is　a　secret　from　your　husband。　I
  give　you　my　promise。　Now　begin！〃
  Clara　hesitated　painfully。
  〃I　don't　know　how　to　begin！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　burst　of
  despair。　〃The　words　won't　come　to　me。〃
  〃Then　I　must　help　you。　Do　you　feel　ill　tonight？　Do　you　feel　as
  you　felt　that　day　when　you　were　with　my　sister　and　me　in　the
  garden？〃
  〃Oh　no。〃
  〃You　are　not　ill；　you　are　not　really　affected　by　the　heatand
  yet　you　turn　as　pale　as　ashes；　and　you　are　obliged　to　leave　the
  quadrille！　There　must　be　some　reason　for　this。〃
  〃There　is　a　reason。　Captain　Helding〃
  〃Captain　Helding！　What　in　the　name　of　wonder　has　the　captain　to
  do　with　it？〃
  〃He　told　you　something　about　the　_Atalanta_。　He　said　the
  _Atalanta_　was　expected　back　from　Africa　immediately。〃
  〃Well；　and　what　of　that？　Is　there　anybody　in　whom　you　are
  interested　coming　home　in　the　ship？〃
  〃Somebody　whom　I　am　afraid　of　is　coming　home　in　the　ship。〃
  Mrs。　Crayford's　magnificent　black　eyes　opened　wide　in　amazement。
  〃My　dear　Clara！　do　you　really　mean　what　you　say？〃
  〃Wait　a　little；　Lucy；　and　you　shall　judge　for　yourself。　We　must
  go　backif　I　am　to　make　you　understand　meto　the　year　before　we
  knew　each　otherto　the　last　year　of　my　father's　life。　Did　I　ever
  tell　you　that　my　father　moved　southward；　for　the　sake　of　his
  health；　to　a　house　in　Kent　that　was　lent　to　him　by　a　friend？〃
  〃No；　my　dear；　I　don't　remember　ever　hearing　of　the　house　in　Kent。
  Tell　me　about　it。〃
  〃There　is　nothing　to　tell；　except　this：　the　new　house　was　near　a
  fine　country…seat　standing　in　its　own　park。　The　owner　of　the
  place　was　a　gentleman　named　Wardour。　He；　too；　was　one　of　my
  father's　Kentish　friends。　He　had　an　only　son。〃
  She　paused；　and　played　nervously　with　her　fan。　Mrs。　Crayford
  looked　at　her　attentively。　Clara's　eyes　remained　fixed　on　her
  fanClara　said　no　more。　〃What　was　the　son's　name？〃　asked　Mrs。
  Crayford；　quietly。
  〃Richard。〃
  〃Am　I　right；　Clara；　in　suspecting　that　Mr。　Richard　Wardour
  admired　you？〃
  The　question　produced　its　intended　effect。　The　question　helped
  Clara　to　go　on。
  〃I　hardly　knew　at　first；〃　she　said；　〃whether　he　admired　me　or
  not。　He　was　very　strange　in　his　waysheadstrong；　terribly
  headstrong　and　passionate；　but　generous　and　affectionate　in　spite
  of　his　faults　of　temper。　Can　you　understand　such　a　character？〃
  〃Such　characters　exist　by　thousands。　I　have　my　faults　of　temper。
  I　begin　to　like　Richard　already。　Go　on。〃
  〃The　days　went　by；　Lucy；　and　the　weeks　went　by。　We　were　thrown
  very　much　together。　I　began；　little　by　little；　to　have　some
  suspicion　of　the　truth。〃
  〃And　Richard　helped　to　confirm　your　suspicions；　of　course？
  〃No。　He　was　notunhappily　for　mehe　was　not　that　sort　of　man。
  He　never　spoke　of　the　feeling　with　which　he　regarded　me。　It　was　I
  who　saw　it。　I　couldn't　help　seeing　it。　I　did　all　I　could　to　show
  that　I　was　willing　to　be　a　sister　to　him；　and　that　I　could　never
  be　anything　else。　He　did　not　understand　me；　or　he　would　not；　I
  can't　say　which。〃
  〃'Would　not；'　is　the　most　likely；　my　dear。　Go　on。〃
  〃It　might　have　been　as　you　say。　There　was　a　strange；　rough
  bashfulness　about　him。　He　confused　and　puzzled　me。　He　never　spoke
  out。　He　seemed　to　treat　me　as　if　our　future　lives　had　been
  provided　for　while　we　were
  children。　What　could　I　do；　Lucy？〃
  〃Do？　You　could　have　asked　your　father　to　end　the　difficulty　for
  you。〃
  〃Impossible！　You　forget　what　I　have　just　told　you。　My　father　was
  suffering　at　that　time　under　the　illness　which　afterward　caused
  his　death。　He　was　quite　unfit　to　interfere。〃
  〃Was　there　no　one　else　who　could　help　you？〃
  〃No　one。〃
  〃No　lady　in　whom　you　could　confide？〃
  〃I　had　acquaintances　among　the　ladies　in　the　neighborhood。　I　had
  no　friends。〃
  〃What　did　you　do；　then？〃
  〃Nothing。　I　hesitated；　I　put　off　coming　to　an　explanation　with
  him；　unfortunately；　until　it　was　too　late。〃
  〃What　do　you　mean　by　too　late？〃
  〃You　shall　hear。　I　ought　to　have　told　you　that　Richard　Wardour　is
  in　the　navy〃
  〃Indeed！　I　am　more　interested　in　him　than　ever。　Well？〃
  〃One　spring　day　Richard　came　to　our　house　to　take　leave　of　us
  before　he　joined　his　ship。　I　thought　he　was　gone；　and　I　went　into
  the　next　room。　It　was　my　own　sitting…room；　and　it　opened　on　to
  the　garden。〃
  〃Yes？〃
  〃Richard　must　have　been　watching　me。　He　suddenly　appeared　in　the
  garden。　Without　waiting　for　me　to　invite　him；　he　walked　into　the
  room。　I　was　a　little　startled　as　well　as　surprised；　but　I　managed
  to　hide　it。　I　said；　'What　is　it；　Mr。　Wardour？'　He　stepped　close
  up　to　me；　he　said；　in　his　quick；　rough　way：　'Clara！　I　am　going　to
  the　African　coast。　If　I　live；　I　shall　come　back　promoted；　and　we
  both　know　what　will　happen　then。'　He　kissed　me。　I　was　half
  frightened；　half　angry。　Before　I　could　compose　myself　to　say　a
  word；　he　was　out　in　the　garden　againhe　was　gone！　I　ought　to
  have　spoken；　I　know。　It　was　not　honorable；　not　kind　toward　him。
  You　can't　reproach　me　for　my　want　of　courage　and　frankness　more
  bitterly　than　I　reproach　myself！〃
  〃My　dear　child；　I　don't　reproach　you。　I　only　think　you　might　have
  written　to　him。〃
  〃I　did　write。〃
  〃Plainly？〃
  〃Yes。　I　told　him　in　so　many　words　that　he　was　deceiving　himself；
  and　that　I　could　never　marry　him。〃
  〃Plain　enough；　in　all　co