Out of her sphere - University Library

HAROLD THORNTON'S RETURN HOME. 43
whether Deb's guess was a correct one.
Mrs. Thornton might only have quarrelled
with her husband and gone away—but gone
where ? She had no friends, as Clare had
said. Letters scarcely ever came for her
she never went from home on a visit to
relations, and excepting her aunt, Mrs.
Harrup, no one had ever heard of her
having any one connected with her. "Could
she "— Clare's soul sickened within her at
the thought— '^ could she have gone to
Audley Dale ?" If after all she had only
planned and toiled and schemed to drive
her into his arms ! She would be shamed,
disgraced, but what of that ! She
would
not hear—Clare in her soul believed would
not care for—the sneers and reproaches that
her conduct would call forth. She might
obtain a divorce ; " fine folks can get any-
thing for money," thought Clare revenge-
fully, " and then become Audley's wife.
She's cunning enough to manage that, and
;