A hopeless love must always evoke pity in a generous mind. Devereaux could not help being touched when he found Roma installed as his sister\'s guest, and comprehended that it was love for himself that had brought her there.

Men, even the bravest and strongest, are pitiably susceptible to woman\'s flattery. Roma\'s persistent love, faithful through all the repulses it had received, was a subtle flattery that touched Devereaux\'s heart, cruelly wounded by Liane\'s rejection, and made him think better of himself again.

Roma brought all the batteries of her fascination to bear on her recreant lover that first evening, and he submitted to be amused with charming grace, that thrilled her with renewed hope.

Mrs. Carrington, too, lent her womanly aid to further the little byplay she saw going on between the estranged lovers. She knew that propinquity is a great thing in such a case, and believed that a reconciliation was certain. Of course, she did not[Pg 276] know that Devereaux\'s heart belonged to Liane, or she would not have been so confident.

Roma telegraphed for her maid the next morning, fully resolved to make the most of her visit, and after breakfast, when she saw Devereaux preparing to go out, in spite of her blandishments, she asked him to call on her mother at the hotel, and tell her that she would be Mrs. Carrington\'s guest during her short stay.

She was more than ever determined to marry the young millionaire now, and thus make her position in life secure, even if by any untoward accident she should be ousted from her place as the Clarkes\' daughter and heiress.

Devereaux promised to do as she asked, and sallied forth, in reality tired of Roma\'s company, though too polite to show it.

About the middle of the day he called at Mrs. Clarke\'s hotel to convey Roma\'s message, and was surprised to find her father there also.

They greeted him most cordially, and Mrs. Clarke exclaimed:

"Is it not tedious, waiting by the hour for a caller who never comes?"

"Do you mean your daughter?" he asked, hastening to deliver Roma\'s message.

[Pg 277]

"Then she has not heard of my accident yet?" exclaimed the lady.

"No!" he replied, and with unwonted animation she hastened to pour out the whole story of yesterday.

She did not spare herself in the least, frankly describing her pride and hauteur.

"I will not deny that I was vexed and jealous, and hated her because she had rivaled Roma for the beauty prize," she confessed. "I am ashamed of it now, and bitterly repented after learning her angelic sweetness and nobility of heart."

Devereaux\'s heart thrilled with joy at these generous praises of lovely Liane, and he listened in eager silence to all Mrs. Clarke had to say, glad, indeed, that she proposed to adopt the girl, but wondering much if Roma would agree to the plan.

"So, then, it is Miss Lester you are awaiting?" he said, with a quickened heart throb.

"Yes; and I think it most strange that she has not kept her promise to come here early this morning. If I knew her address, I should have gone long ago to her house, but, unfortunately I forgot to ask it," sighed Mrs. Clarke, while her[Pg 278] husband listened to everything with a glad, eager face.

"I wrote you, Mr. Clarke, two days ago, sending you her address, which I had myself just discovered," said Devereaux, looking at him.

"That is very strange. I did not receive it."

"Perhaps it had not been delivered when you left home."

"Perhaps so."

"And," pursued Devereaux, with a crimson flush mounting up to his brow at thought of seeing the dearest of his heart again, "if I can serve you in doing so, I will go and bring Miss Lester here to see you. It may be her excessive modesty that keeps her away."

They fairly jumped at his offer, and he hurried away, most eager, indeed, to do them this favor, glad in his heart of this grand opportunity for poor Liane.

Mrs. Clarke looked at her husband, with a half sigh tempering her soft smile.

She exclaimed:

"He is in love with that charming girl! Could you not see it? Alas, for my poor Roma!"

"Roma scarcely deserves our sympathy in the matter. She lost him by her own folly," Mr.[Pg 279] Clarke replied impatiently, and the subject was dropped. He did not care to discuss Roma with his heart full of his own dear child.

Meanwhile Devereaux took a carriage to Liane\'s humble abode, full of a joy he could not repress at thought of seeing Liane again.

But he sighed to himself:
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