"If I go down with you," she said, "it will look as if we had arranged the thing between us.

I can't bear even to think of that.

Let me look in by myself, as if it was by accident." Consenting to this arrangement, Lady Loring had proceeded alone to the gallery, when Romayne's visit was announced.

The minutes passed, and Stella did not appear.

It was quite possible that she might shrink from openly presenting herself at the main entrance to the gallery, and might prefer--especially if she was not aware of the priest's presence in the room--to slip in quietly by the library door.