"You have not seen Ella since your return?"

"No; I have been with her husband on business all day, however."

"And of course he would not have occasion to refer to so casual an incident as his wife's wearing a new toilet."

"Of course not. The word inspiration has no place in a commercial vocabulary, Miss Ayrton."

"But it is a good word elsewhere, Mr. Courtland.

"Yes, it has its meaning. You think that it may be safely applied to the wearing of an effective toilet. I wonder if you would think of applying it to the words you said to me on the last evening I was here?"

It was in a very low tone, and after a long pause, that she said:

"I hope if what I told you Mrs. Haddon said was an inspiration, it was a good one. I felt that I must tell you, Mr. Courtland, though I fear that I gave you some pain--great pain. I know what it is to be reminded of an irreparable loss."