Her heart was slowly sinking, for she saw him glance at the clock, and knew that it was very late.

“I will bring you good tidings of your pet, when I see you in Europe.  If I live, I shall probably cross the ocean some time during the summer; and as my business will oblige me to meet your mother, I shall hope to see my ward during my tour, which will be short.”

He was watching her very closely, and instead of pleased surprise, discerned the expression of dread, the unmistakable shiver that greeted the announcement of his projected trip.  After all, had he utterly mistaken her feeling, flattered himself falsely?

She supposed he referred to his bridal tour, and the thought that when they next met he would be Brunella Carew’s husband, goaded her to hope that such torture might be averted by seeing him no more.

While both stood sorrowful and perplexed, the front door bell rang sharply.  Soon after Terry entered, with a large official envelope, sealed with red wax.

“From Mr. Rodney, sir.”

“Yes, I was expecting it.  Tell Octave I must have a cup of coffee at daylight, and Farley must not fail to have the coupe ready to take me to the depot.  Let the gas burn in the hall to-night.  That is all.”

Mr. Palma broke the seals, glanced at the heading of several sheets of legal cap, and laid the whole on his desk.

“Regina, all the money belonging to you I shall leave in Mrs. Palma’s hands, and she will transmit it to you.  Mr. Chesley will take charge of you to-morrow, soon after his arrival, and in the chivalric new guardian I presume the former grim custodian will speedily be forgotten.  I have some letters to write, and as I shall leave home before you are awake, I must bid you good-bye to-night.  Is there anything you wish to say to me?”

Twice she attempted to speak, but no sound was audible.

Mr. Palma came close to her, and held out his hand.  Silently she placed hers in it, and when he took the other, holding both in a warm tightening clasp, she felt as if the world were crumbling beneath her unsteady feet.  Her large soft eyes sought his handsome pale face, wistfully, hungrily, almost despairingly, and oh, how dear he was to her at that moment!  If she could only put her arms around his neck, and cling to him, feeling as she had once done the touch of his cheek pressing hers; but there was madness in the thought.

“Although you are so anxious to leave my care and my house, I hope my ward will think kindly of me when far distant.  It is my misfortune that you gave your fullest confidence and affection, to your guardian Mr. Hargrove; but since you were committed to nay hands, I have endeavoured faithfully, conscientiously, to do my duty in every respect.  In some things it has cost me dear,—­how dear I think you will never realize.  If I should live to see you again, I trust I shall find you the same earnest, true-hearted, pure girl that you leave me, for in your piety and noble nature I have a deep and abiding faith.  My dear ward, good-bye.”