ing off, "one may conjecture ten thousand things, and none of them be right; only I think one is bound to believe her letter, and that seems to point towards my conclusion."

"Yes, I believe you are not far from the truth; but," Guy adds, impatiently, “if one could only prove it!"

"I doubt you ever will. Such care seems to have been taken to hide every trace of identity. I suppose, too, she must have destroyed her marriage certificate, so that even if one gained a clue to the husband, which is very improbable, it might be impossible to prove the marriage, which perhaps took place abroad; and don't you think, Guy, that it is perhaps as well to rest certain in our own minds that Dolores' antecedents were all that we can wish, than___"

"Yes, I understand," interrupts Guy, impatiently. "Well, it seems as if we must

rest satisfied with what we know, for there

appears little chance of our ever learning anything more."

249

CHAPTER XIV.

WHAT DOLORES DISCOVERS.

HEY have all dined at the table-d'hôte of

THEY

the Grand Hotel-Sir Guy, Captain and Mrs. Charteris, Dolores, and Miss Etherege-nay, Milly has even thought it expedient to ask Mr. Vansittart to be of the party, as a future witness, should one be needed. Dinner is over, Dolores and her friend have been duly presented to Captain and Mrs. Charteris, and they are all sitting together in the courtyard of the hotel, drinking their coffee. It is a bright warm Spring evening-early Spring, to be sure, but still Spring, for it is the middle of April, and the last few days have been

as hot as June. Milly is talking confidentially to Miss Etherege, Guy to Dolores; while Adrian and Mr. Vansittart are engaged in a discussion on dinners. This does not hinder either of them from casting occasional glances at Dolores-Adrian from admiration, strongly impregnated with curiosity; his friend from unmixed admiration.

"What an awfully pretty little girl!" he whispers. "I don't know when I've seen such a lovely little face; and yet she seems to remind me of somebody. Who is she?"

"An

"My dear fellow, I am as much in the dark as yourself," returns Adrian. old acquaintance of Guy's, evidently. I think he's in luck."

"I think so too; and but that appearances are deceitful, I should say the little beauty is decidedly épris with Master Guy. I wonder whether I could make any impression on the old woman, mother, aunt, duenna, or whatever she may be. She

looks like a lady, though she isn't handsome."

"Bet you five pounds to two she snubs you!" whispers Adrian, laughing. "I don't know how it is, Van, but dowagers seem to have a natural mistrust of you."

"Not till they find out that I have no money," he retorts, with a shrug; "and indeed, as you know, my dear fellow, my only vice-in fact, the only vice a man can have in a woman's eyes-is poverty. But I take your bet all the same." And waiting for a convenient opportunity, Mr. Vansittart delicately introduces himself into the conversation that Milly and Miss Etherege are engaged in. But from that moment Mary drops quietly out of it, although Jack Vansittart appeals frequently to her, and only answers by monosyllables to his polite questions and remarks.

Meanwhile Captain Charteris has joined his brother and Dolores. At first, when Adrian speaks to her, she blushes and