"So I suppose every one will say," returned the young lady coolly, "just because he happens to have money while I have none, I don't think in other respects we are unequally matched."

She rose as she spoke, and began to pace gently up and down the room, scarcely seeming to heed her cousin's presence.

Isabel Foster was a beautiful girl, there were no two opinions on that point, even those who disliked her most admitted. She was tall and queenly, with thick dark hair, lustrous dark eyes and exquisitely delicate features. Her face had usually a proud and rather sad expression, but when she smiled and exerted herself to please, a soft glow would come to her cheeks, and a tender light to her eyes that made her almost irresistible.

She had scarcely yet found time to weigh fully the consequences of the morning's adventure, the triumphant thought on which she was dwelling now, was, that she would no longer be her cousin's dependent; kind as Lady Somers was, she found the chain galling past endurance, and now it would be broken for ever.

The little lady watched her for a moment or so, and then broke out impatiently, “I never saw any one like you, Isabel, never; any other girl in your position would be in a perfect ecstasy at such an offer ; one of the best matches in the county, and a dear good fellow that nobody can say a word against. I declare it is quite ungrateful to Providence that you should take it in this way, and you haven't told me a word of what he said, or anything. I wonder how his sister will like it."

"Her opinion won't make much difference one way or another," said Isabel quickly.

"Well, it will be pleasanter for you if she is friendly, but she is sure to be that, dear little thing."

Isabel shrugged her shoulders in silent disdain of the subject, and Lady Somers resuming her basket walked out of the room feeling somewhat injured.

Herbert came that afternoon and paid his visit with Bruno, whom Isabel vouchsafed to admire, and any want of cordiality on her part was amply atoned for by Lady Somers, who seemed almost ready to embrace him on his arrival.

"Would you like my sister to come over to-morrow?" he asked as he stood with his arm round his betrothed before saying good-bye, her cousin having discreetly retired.

"Yes, if it would please her to come," Isabel said quietly, "but don't trouble her if she has any other engagement."

"I don't think that is likely, Miss Frere is staying with her, you know, and I might drive them both over in the afternoon."

"Thank you, I should like to see Alice, but that Miss Frere struck me as a sour-looking girl, I saw her at Tregellen once, does she often come to stay ?"

"Generally I think in her holidays, she teaches music and singing at the school my sister was at."

"Indeed, not quite the sort of person for Miss Travers to take as an intimate friend."

Herbert pulled his moustache and looked uncomfortable, "I don't know how to manage, darling, it is rather awkward," he said, "I can hardly take Alice away and leave the other all alone."

He had grasped the present difficulty, but failed to see breakers ahead.

"Bring them both by all means," she answered, smiling, "though I do not care to make friends with Miss Frere, I very much wish to know your sister better."

"Thank you, my darling, good-bye, my love," an ardent kiss and he was gone, leaving his betrothed devising plans whereby she might separate poor Alice from her undesirable companion.

Happily ignorant of what was passing in the mind of her future sister-in-law, Alice next day prepared for her drive in high spirits. Hers was a bright buoyant nature, and the tears she had shed, rather washed away her sorrow than deepened it. She woke in the morning accusing herself of selfishness, and ready to seize upon every possibility of future joy in the prospect before her.

Herbert's wife must be her friend, there could be no question of that, and after all, housekeeping was a responsibility which she might find it a relief to resign.

She thought the cook, who was her own secret terror, would quail before the stately Miss Foster who might even be able to induce the somewhat unsober butler to take the pledge, which was more than poor Alice could do, though she had turned teetotaller herself to try and reform him.

Herbert proposed the drive hilariously at breakfast, but as soon as Alice and Gertrude were alone, the latter begged earnestly that she might be left behind. "I am sure, dear Alice," she said, "it will be

much more satisfactory if you go with your brother, Miss Foster scarcely knows me, and I should only be a hindrance to your further acquaintance. Be persuaded and leave me at home."

But Alice would not be persuaded, "I should not half enjoy it," she said, "if I thought you were moping all alone; no, Gerty, you must come and support me; besides, I shall want you to talk it all over with afterwards."

So after luncheon, the low easy wicker carriage came round, and Miss Frere sat by Herbert while Alice faced them muffled in a pale blue shawl, which made a pretty contrast to her pink cheeks and wavy hair.

Shortly after three o'clock they arrived at Cliffords, and were shown into the drawing-room. Lady Somers was there alone. She came forward, kissed Alice affectionately, greeted Gertrude warmly, and made them all happy and comfortable.

In a few minutes the door opened, and Isabel came in dressed in black slashed with crimson; she took Alice by both hands, and kissed her, bowed stiffly to Miss Frere, and seated herself by Herbert.

Gertrude like most women in her position was keenly sensitive, she had half put out her hand to Miss Foster, whom she had met before, and this rebuff sent a hot angry flush to her face. Lady Somers noticed it, and immediately flew to heal the breach.

"I hear, my dear Miss Frere, that you sing so beautifully, I wonder if you would give me a treat now, it would be a real kindness.”

"Yes, do, Gertrude," said Alice longing to exhibit her friend's talent, and smarting under the slight she had received.

"Should you like a turn in the garden ?" asked Isabel of her lover. "Wait till after the song," he murmured in a low tone, but Gertrude caught the words.

"Pray don't think of waiting for me," she said, "if Lady Somers will excuse me, I would far rather not sing."

"Please yourself," observed Isabel, looking at Herbert, "I shall take a turn on the terrace, it is unbearably hot in here.”

She went, and he followed her, leaving poor Lady Somers in a state of confusion at her cousin's rudeness; again she entreated Gertrude to sing, with the disastrous consequence that after sitting down to the piano, she burst into tears. Alice comforted her and then ran out indignantly to ask Herbert to see about the carriage. He and Isabel were in the midst of a discussion which they did not at all thank her

for interrupting, and a whole wretched hour passed before the party started homewards.

“Oh, if you had only not taken me!" sighed Gertrude to Alice as they went in doors, "I felt she would do something of the kind, and I can never, never forgive myself for being so foolish as to show that I minded her."

CHAPTER III.

A FRIEND IN NEED.

It did not take long to arrange affairs for Herbert and Isabel's wedding; there were no rival parents to raise debates on money matters, and he was more than willing to agree to all that Sir Thomas thought desirable in the way of settlements.

Cold and proud as his betrothed was, he loved her with an absorbing affection that blinded him entirely to the glaring faults of her character. He could not at all understand how it was that Alice and Isabel did not become better acquainted, and was quite shocked that his sister should be offended at the way in which her friend had been treated. It was her own fault entirely to have made a friend of an unsuitable person.

Then, with a lover's strange inconsistency, he persuaded himself that because the two girls did not appear to suit each other now that they only met occasionally, his marriage and Isabel's establishment at Tregellen must put an end to all difficulties, and that his wisest plan for the happiness of all parties was to hurry on that blissful day.

It was a trying time for poor Alice; Gertrude left her much sooner than she wished, and she felt bitterly in parting with her friend that she was powerless to give her a fresh invitation; she, Alice Travers, was, nobody now.

As for Herbert his bodily presence was usually with her at mealtimes and of an evening, but his mind was abstracted, and the only subjects he cared to discuss were Isabel, and his future plans with regard to her. He had not the slightest idea that his manner towards his sister was changed, or that the future opened less brightly to her than it did to himself. To do Alice justice she bore it all very bravely and unselfishly, down to the trying pageant of the wedding-day, when she figured as bridesmaid in an unbecoming dress chosen to suit a brunette friend of the bride's.

The wedding was one which filled half a column, under the head of Fashionable Intelligence, in all the local papers, so it may safely be left to the reader's imagination. Mr. and Mrs. Travers left Cliffords for London, purposing to return to Tregellen in time for Christmas. Alice was meanwhile invited to spend the intervening month with Mr. and Mrs. Melville at the Rectory, she was very glad to accept the invitation for at least a part of the time, for the good Rector and his wife were her oldest and dearest friends. They were such wise friends too; neighbours had not been wanting who had offered confidential commiseration, for Miss Travers was a far more popular person than her sister-in-law. At first Alice was rather tempted to respond to these overtures and bewail her lot, and in one case where she had done so the fact came to Mr. Melville's ears, and he at once determined to put her upon her guard.

When breakfast was over on the day after the wedding he called her into the study to help him to arrange some books. He stood on the library steps and handed the volumes down to her while she carefully dusted them below. This process went on silently for some minutes, but Alice, who had often been summoned to the library before to be taken to task, was scarcely surprised when the Rector began, "You have told me very little, my dear, of what you think of Herbert's wife, and whether it is probable that your life with her will be a happy one."

"I have not said much," observed Alice with a sigh, "because there was very little to say that was pleasant, so I thought it was better not to talk at all."

"A wise plan, my dear, if your nature was self-contained enough to adhere to it; but if not, was it wise to select as a confidante a person who publishes poor Miss Travers' groans to the entire neighbourhood?"

ઃઃ

Alice dropped a volume in astonishment. Oh, how cruel," she cried, "when she dragged it out of me; Mrs. Soames began herself, and she was so kind, and friendly, and pitying! Oh, how silly I was to trust her!"

"Take care of Lacordaire, my child, and don't be too down-hearted; your mistake was not a very strange one, but I wished to give you a warning and to show you that careful as you ought to have been in speaking of anticipated difficulties with regard to Herbert's betrothed, you must be doubly cautious now she is his wife."