But where was Abel?
Hope Wayne's eyes looked every where.

But her only glimpse of him during the evening had been that glimmering, dreadful moment in the conservatory.

There he had remained ever since.

There he still stood gazing through the door into the drawing-room, seeing but not seen--his mind a wild whirl of thoughts.
"What a fool I am!" thought Abel, bitterly.

He was steadily asking himself, "Have--I--lost--Hope Wayne--before--I--had--won--her ?".