Less than three weeks later, Harold Mainwaring entered Miss Carleton’s private drawing-room in Mr. Thornton’s London home.  Soon after her arrival in the city she had received from him a brief note of apology, stating that unexpected business of the greatest importance would render it impossible for him to call as early as he had anticipated; hence this was their first meeting since the leave-taking on board the “Campania.”

As Miss Carleton stepped forward with cordial smile and hand extended to welcome her visitor, she was shocked at the change in his appearance.  He was pale, almost haggard, and deep lines about the mouth and eyes told of some intense mental strain.  She gave a low cry of astonishment, for it seemed as though years, instead of only a few weeks, had intervened since she had seen that face.

“Mr. Mainwaring, you have been ill!” she exclaimed.

“No, Miss Carleton,” he replied, his face lighting with a rare smile; “I have been perfectly well, but loss of sleep and constant care and anxiety have told rather severely on me.  Nothing more serious, I assure you.”

“Anxiety!” she repeated, at the same time motioning him to a seat by her side.  “Surely you do not anticipate any difficulty in establishing your claim?”

“No difficulty so far as its validity is concerned.  My attorneys assure me there can be no question as to that with such irrefutable proofs in my possession, but some unlooked-for complications have arisen, and we have had to prepare ourselves to meet them.  But I did not call to burden you with my perplexities, Miss Carleton.  Tell me of yourself.  I trust you have been well since I last saw you.”

“Yes, I am usually well,” said Miss Carleton, who thought she detected on the part of her visitor an avoidance of any details concerning himself; “but I have been rather bored of late.”  Then, in answer to his look of inquiry, she continued, “Of course, on account of Hugh Mainwaring’s death, we have been living very quietly since our return, but, notwithstanding that fact, society has been paying due homage to the prospective increase of fortune and added social position of the Mainwarings.  I am not particularly fond of society in the ordinary sense of the word, you know, and I have found it exceedingly tiresome.”

“From reports, I should judge ‘society’ to be very fond of yourself,” he remarked, with a smile.

“After its own fashion,” she replied, smiling in return; “but it becomes very monotonous.  It is the same old round, you know, only that just now it bows a little lower than formerly, while it mingles condolences and congratulations in the most absurd manner.  One hears, ‘Such a dreadful affair! so shocking, don’t you know!’ and ‘Such delightful fortune!  I quite envy you, my dear!’ all in the same breath.  I am only awaiting what society will say when the real facts become known.”

Harold Mainwaring made no reply, but a strange pallor overspread his already pale face, at which Miss Carleton wondered.