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 Rapidly he pieced out the two conversations, one by the other. Philippa was the unquestioned soul of honor, consequently it was her story Victoria's confidences completed, not Victoria's substantiated by Philippa's comments. He was inexpressibly saddened. Even the radiant presence of his lady-love failed to rouse him from the mournful apathy into which he fell. He was still too loyal to the old affection to talk over the miserable downfall, even with Philippa. But something, and that his very darling illusion, had vanished from his life, and he faced, sadly enough, what he believed to be a loathsome reality.

The drive was completed in silence on his part, with chattering small talk on hers. She had winged her shaft and sent it home, and now watched its venom spread with a light-hearted satisfaction worthy of a Lucretia Borgia of psychology. She had nothing now to fear from Victoria, and she was at the same time vindicating and serving Valdeck, in whom she confided with something of the blind faith that Morton reposed in her. Properly circulated, in 188