Julie said nothing, and Lady Blanche, with bitter satisfaction, felt rather than saw what seemed to her the just humiliation expressed in the drooping and black-veiled figure beside her.

Next day there was once more a tinge of color on Aileen’s cheeks.  Her beautiful hair fell round her once more in a soft life and confusion, and the roses which her mother had placed beside her on the bed were not in too pitiful contrast with her frail loveliness.

“Read it, please,” she said, as soon as she found herself alone with Julie, pushing her letter tenderly towards her.  “He tells me everything—­everything!  All he was doing and hoping—­consults me in everything.  Isn’t it an honor—­when I’m so ignorant and childish?  I’ll try to be brave—­try to be worthy—­”

And while her whole frame was shaken with deep, silent sobs, she greedily watched Julie read the letter.

“Oughtn’t I to try and live,” she said, dashing away her tears, as Julie returned it, “when he loved me so?”

Julie kissed her with a passionate and guilty pity.  The letter might have been written to any friend, to any charming child for whom a much older man had a kindness.  It gave a business-like account of their march, dilated on one or two points of policy, drew some humorous sketches of his companions, and concluded with a few affectionate and playful sentences.

But when the wrestle with death began, Warkworth wrote but one last letter, uttered but one cry of the heart, and it lay now in Julie’s bosom.

* * * * *

A few days passed.  Delafield’s letters were short and full of sadness.  Elmira still lived; but any day or hour might see the end.  As for the father—­But the subject was too tragic to be written of, even to her.  Not to feel, not to realize; there lay the only chance of keeping one’s own courage, and so of being any help whatever to two of the most miserable of human beings.

At last, rather more than a week after Delafield’s departure, came two telegrams.  One was from Delafield—­“Mervyn died this morning.  Duke’s condition causes great anxiety.”  The other from Evelyn Crowborough—­“Elmira died this morning.  Going down to Shropshire to help Jacob.”

Julie threw down the telegrams.  A rush of proud tears came to her eyes.  She swept to the door of her room, opened it, and called her maid.

The maid came, and when she saw the sparkling looks and strained bearing of her mistress, wondered what crime she was to be rebuked for.  Julie merely bade her pack at once, as it was her intention to catch the eight o’clock through train at Lausanne that night for England.

* * * * *

Twenty hours later the train carrying Julie to London entered Victoria Station.  On the platform stood the little Duchess, impatiently expectant.  Julie was clasped in her arms, and had no time to wonder at the pallor and distraction of her friend before she was hurried into the brougham waiting beyond the train.