She could not doubt that the two wraiths she had seen so clearly purported to be a survival of the human personalities of the two women who each had borne Varick's name, and had been, for a while, so closely linked with him....
Yet long ago, when quite a young woman, she had come to the deliberate conclusion that there was no such survival of human personality.
Taking up Mark Gifford's mysterious telegram, and one or two unimportant letters she had just received, she went downstairs, to see, as she came into the dining-room, that only Varick was already down.
He looked up, and she was shocked to see how ill and strained he looked.
He had taken poor little Bubbles' accident terribly to heart; Blanche knew he had a feeling--which was rather absurd, after all,--that he in some way could have prevented it.
But as he saw her come in his face lightened, and she felt touched.

Poor Lionel! He was certainly very, very fond of her.
"I do hope Helen Brabazon will stay on with you and Bubbles," he said eagerly.

"I think I've nearly persuaded Miss Burnaby to let her do so.
Do say a word to her, Blanche ?" "I will, if you like.

But in that case, hadn't we better ask Sir Lyon to stay on, too ?" "Dilsford!" he exclaimed.

"Why on earth should we think of doing that ?" Blanche smiled.