ferent, would, one was inclined to suppose, she looked straight at Lady Isabella's have got rid of each other years ago. But screen with a distinctness of intimation these two clung together in spite of all that this abstinence was on her account, their differences, as if there were some which would have puzzled me much but bond between them which they had to for the previous explanation I had had. make the best of. Mrs. Spencer began Words would have been much less emtalking the moment she came in. phatic. She nodded her head a great "I met Mrs. Damerel on the Green and many times, and she gave me a look which she was asking for you, Isabella; in short, promised further information. She was she was quite surprised to see me out fond of her companion, and I am sure alone. I thought Lady Isabella always would have sheltered her from pain at walked once a day at least,' she said. almost any cost to herself; but yet she enAnd so she pretends to do,' said I. And joyed the mystery, and the story which I told her what I said to you before I went lay below. "All the officers from the barout about your health. Depend upon it racks will be there," she added, after a your health will suffer. A young woman pause. "There is a Captain Fielding, an at your age getting into these chimney- empty-headed- but they are all emptycorner ways! Mrs. Musgrave, don't you headed. I don't care much about soldiers agree with me that it is very wrong? in an ordinary way, and I dislike guards"Don't scold me, please," said Lady men. So does Isabella." Isabella, out of her corner; "if you both fall upon me, I am rather nervous to-night, and I know I shall cry."

At this Mrs. Spencer laughed; just as a husband would have done, taking it for the merest nonsense; yet somewhat propitiated, for there was an inference of superior wisdom, importance, goodness on his - I mean her — part, such as mollifies the marital mind. No one could have been more utterly bewildered than she, had she known that what her friend said was literally true. Lady Isabella bad drawn a little screen between her and the fire, which sheltered her also from the modest light of the lamp; and I felt by the sound of her voice, that though, no doubt, she could restrain herself, it would have been a relief to her to have shed the tears which made her eyes hot and painful. She would have laughed, probably, while she was shedding them, but that makes no difference.

And then there followed one of those embarrassing pauses which come against one's will when there is any secret undercurrent which everybody knows and nobody mentions. Lady Isabella sat perfectly silent, and I, who ought to have come to the rescue, I ran wildly in my mind over every topic of conversaion possible, — at last rose to take my leave, not finding anything to say.

"Are you going, Mrs. Musgrave?" said Lady Isabella. "I will go to the door with you. I must show you the new flowers in the hall."

"Good gracious, something must be going to happen," said Mrs. Spencer, "when Isabella volunteers to show you flowers. Don't catch cold in the draught; but it is too dark: you can't possibly see any colour in them now."

"Never mind," said Lady Isabella, in an undertone; and she hurried out leading the way, a thing I had never seen her "You don't do enough, and Lady Denzil do before. She made no pretence about does too much," said Mrs. Spencer. "She the flowers when we got out to the hall. surprises me, and I think I am as active as It was quite dark, and of course I could most people. I can't tell why she does it, see nothing. She grasped my hand in a I am sure. She is an old woman; it can't nervous, agitated way. She was trembe any pleasure to her. There is a dinner-bling, she, who was always so steady party there to-night, and another on Satur- and calm. It was partly from cold, to be day; and on Monday the dance for those sure, but then the cold was caused by young Fieldings that are staying there - emotion. "His name is Colonel Brentenough to kill a stronger woman. But ford," she whispered in my ear; and then these little fragile beings get through so ran upstairs suddenly, leaving me to open much. She keeps up through it all and the door for myself. I have received a great many confidences in my life, but seldom any so strange as this. I did not know whether to laugh or to be sorry, as I walked home thinking over it. Lady Isabella was the last person in the world to be involved in any romance; and yet this was romantic enough. And it was so diffi

never looks a bit the worse.'

"Are you going there, to-night?" said I. I had scarcely said it when I saw a little flutter behind the screen, and felt it was a foolish question. But it was too

late.

"No," said Mrs. Spencer, pointedly; and

cult to make out how I could perform my | far, I made what private inspection I could. part in it. Ask a guardsman, a strange It was quite evident to me where the gap colonel, a man, to tea! I could not but re- was which Mrs. Spencer and Lady Isabella flect how foolish I was, always undertaking things that were so difficult to perform. But I was pledged to do it, and I could not go back.

CHAPTER II.

"Perhaps you recognize him?" my companion said to me, as he caught me watching this pair across the table." He is one of the Eliots. His father had a place once in this neighbourhood. I am sure you must recollect his face."

"No, indeed," said I, denying by instinct. "That gentleman opposite-is his name Eliot? I was looking at the yonng lady by him. She is a little friend of mine, and I am petrified to find her here.. I did not think she was out."

ought to have filled. It had been hastily filled up by Lottie and Lucy Stoke, who were very much more to the taste of the guardsmen, I don't doubt, than if they had been their own grandmothers, ladies of county influence and majesty. Lucy, whose blue eyes were dancing in her head I WAS to dine at Sir Thomas Denzil's with mingled fright and delight to find that same evening, and so no doubt would herself in such a grand party, sat by a Mrs. Spencer and Lady Isabella have done, handsome dark man, to whom my eyes rebut for that obstacle which the elder lady turned a great many times. He looked had set up and in which the younger the kind of man whom a woman might be seemed determined to foi! her. I dressed faithful to for years. Could it be him? to go out, with my heart beating a little He was amused with Lucy's excitement quicker than usual. For myself, as may and her fright; perhaps he was flattered be supposed, the officers from the barracks by it as men so often are. After a little were not very much to me; but the under-while, I could see he took great pains to taking with which I suddenly found my- make himself agreeable; and I felt quite self burdened was very serious, and made angry and jealous, though I am sure I me nervous in spite of myself; and then could not have told why. the man's very name was strange to me. I thought over all my acquaintances, and everybody I had ever known; but I could not remember anybody of the name of Brentford. There were the Brentwoods of Northam, and the Bentleys, and a great many names came up to my mind which sounded like it at the first glance; but I could not recollect a single Brentford among all my acquaintance. "I wonder who his mother was?" I said to myself; for, to be sure, there might be a means of getting at him in that way; but it was impossible to find out at so short a notice. I almost felt as if I were a designing woman when I went into Lady Denzil's drawing-room and so I was, though I did not want to marry any of those unconscious warriors either personally or by proxy. Little did Lady Denzil suspect, as I went up to her trying to look as innocent as possible and little did the men of war think, of my evil projects, as they looked blandly at me, and set me down as that harmless uninteresting being an old lady. The one who took me in to dinner was an elderly, sober-looking, quiet gentleman. He was a Major Somebody, and I don't think he was so fine as the others. I drew breath when I had seated myself under his wing. It was a comfort to me to have escaped the young ones, who never forgive you, when they have to take you to dinner, for not being young and pretty. This was a man who had no pretensions above me -a mon, probably, with a wife of his own and a large family, whom one could speak to freely and ask questions of. But before I would go so

66

"That is why she likes it so well, I suppose," said the Major, with a little sigh. "I am afraid you don't enjoy it much," said I. Pray forgive me for being so very stupid. I should like to know which of these gentlemen is Colonel Brentford. I have heard his name - I should like to know which is he."

"He is sitting beside Lady Denzil," said my companion, shortly; and he said no more. His brevity startled me. I think Colonel Brentford, from that moment began to lose in my opinion. I began to get frightened at the thought of what I had undertaken to do. I began to think it was a great pity Lady Isabella, a sensible woman, should waste a thought upon the soldier, for no reason in the world but because my Major announced curtly, "He is sitting beside Lady Denzil," without adding a word to say, "I like him," or "He is a very nice fellow," or anything agreeable. I concluded he must be a bear or a brute, or something utterly frivolous and uninteresting. It never occurred to me that it might be my Major and not the unknown Colonel who

"No, we are quite new to the place, and Lady Denzil has not had time to call yet - my wife, I am sure, would be delighted if you would go and see her. She is rather delicate, and far from her friends. Colonel Brentford is the only one. And here he stopped short, with an ab- No," I said, with a little thrill running ruptness that made me hate Colonel Brent-through me; for, of course, it was someford and repent my temerity more and thing about Lady Isabella that was meant, and I was actually an agent employed in the matter, and knew, and yet did not know.

"Oh, I beg your pardon!" I cried. Good heavens, what a very bad manner the man must have had to give one such a false idea. "I shall do myself the pleas- "It is best never to interfere," said ure of calling on Mrs. Bellinger early Lady Denzil; "that is my principle - unnext week," I said; for, after all, it did less I am sure I can be of real use. Are

recognize that look. I am not very rich now, and never will be; but I once was poor, quite poor, and I know the look of it, and it goes to my heart.

am sure I could do a great deal more if they would but let me. Hush, Edie! I am dreadfully petted and spoiled, Mrs. Musgrave. They make a baby of me, and Colonel Brentford is so kind as to come and read

Accordingly, the first day I was at liberty I drove into Royalborough to see Mrs. Bellinger. They were in a little "It is very good of him, I am sure," I house-one of the houses which people said, mechanically; and then, without take for the purpose of letting them to the knowing what I was doing, I looked at officers. It was opposite to a tall church, Edith. She was quite unconscious of any a three-storied house, with two rooms on meaning in my look. She smiled at me each floor all the way up. There was a in return with all the sweet composure yet little oblong strip of garden in front and shyness of a child. Would he be equally another oblong strip behind; and every- unconscious? I raised my eyes and looked thing about it gave evidence that it was steadily at him. He bore my scrutiny let furnished. But the little garden was very well indeed. I knew there was an rather pretty, and there was a virginian angry flush on my face which I could not creeper hanging in rich red wreaths upon quite conceal, and an eager look of inquiry. the walls. The drawing-room was the It puzzled him, there was no doubt. A front room on the ground-floor. When I vague sort of wonder came into his eyes, was shown in, it seemed to me that I and he smiled too. What could the old interrupted the prettiest domestic scene. woman mean? I am sure he was thinking. A lady, who looked very fragile and weak, Edith was very pretty, but then a great though not ill, lay on a sofa in the room. many girls are pretty. What was particuOf course, she was Mrs. Bellinger. She lar about her was her sweet look, which was about forty, perhaps, - not much moved me even, though I was so hostile to older than Lady Isabella. She had a her. One saw she was ready to run anylovely invalid complexion, a soft, delicate flush which came and went with every movement; her hair was beginning to get grey, and was partially covered by a cap. She looked very weak, very worn, very sweet and smiling, and cheerful. Near her, on a low chair, sat a gentleman with a book in his hand. He had been reading aloud, and had just stopped when I came to the door; and in front of him, at a little distance, seated on a stool, just by her mother's feet, sat a girl of seventeen or so, with her head bent over her work. This was Edith, the Major's favourite child, the only one at home. And the gentleman who had been reading aloud was Colonel Brentford, the man about whom my mind had been busy night and day!

I took the chair that was given me, and I began to talk, but all the freedom and ease was taken out of me. I felt as if I had received a blow. Poor Lady Isabella! I had already perceived that to put herself in competition with the young girls would be a hopeless notion indeed; but it was no longer the girls in general, some of whom were empty-headed enough, but Edith Bellinger in particular. Poor Lady Isabella! If she saw him once like this, I said to myself, she would not wish to see him again!

"My husband told me you were going to be so good," said the invalid. "He told me how kind you had been, asking for me. I am really quite well for me, and I

where, to do anything, at the least little glance from her mother. She was mending stockings-the homeliest work-and she looked such a serviceable, useful creature so different from those Fielding girls, who thought of nothing but the dance. To be sure, the stockings and the useful look were much more likely to please me than to attract a guardsman; but I did not think of that in my sudden jealousy of her. Poor, poor Lady Isabella!

And he did not go away, as he would have done had this been a chance visit. He kept his place, and joined in the conversation as if he belonged to the house. When I asked Mrs. Bellinger to come and see me, he seconded me quite eagerly. He was sure she was able, he said; while Edith put her pretty head on one side, and looked very wise and very doubtful.

"Oh, Colonel Brentford, please don't be so rash - please don't!" said Edith. "It is very, very kind of Mrs. Musgrave, but we must think it over first- - we must, indeed."

"I will send my pony," said I; "he is the steadiest little fellow, and it is such a pretty drive. The weather is so mild that I am sure it would do you good."

"Now, Edith, please let me go," said the invalid. "Do not be such a little hardhearted inexorable Colonel Brentford is the kindest of you all. He is ready to let me have a little indulgence, and so is the