tell you."

"Not yet, I think," said Frank, gloomily. "There is nothing settled."

The old Earl looked puzzled, but Lady Mabel's craft had been
successful. If this objectionable young second-cousin had come there
to talk about his marriage with another young woman, the conversation
must have been innocent. "Where is Miss Cassewary?" asked the Earl.

"I asked her not to come down with me because Frank wished to speak
to me about his own affairs. You have no objection to his coming,
papa?"

There had been objections raised to any intimacy with Frank Tregear;
but all that was now nearly two years since. He had been assured over
and over again by Miss Cassewary that he need not be afraid of Frank
Tregear, and had in a sort of way assented to the young man's visits.
"I think he might find something better to do with his time than
hanging about here all day." Frank, shrugging his shoulders, and
having shaken hands both with the daughter and father, took his hat
and departed. "Who is the girl?" asked the Earl.

"You heard him say that I was not to tell."

"Has she got money?"

"I believe she will have a great deal."

"Then she is a great fool for her pains," said the Earl, shambling
off again.

Lady Mabel spent the greater part of the afternoon alone,
endeavouring to recall to her mind all that she had said to Frank
Tregear, and questioning herself as to the wisdom and truth of her
own words. She had intended to tell the truth,--but hardly perhaps
the whole truth. The life which was before her,--which it was
necessary that she should lead,--seemed to her to be so difficult!
She could not clearly see her way to be pure and good and feminine,
and at the same time wise. She had been false now;--so far false that
she had told her friend that she had never been in love. But she was
in love;--in love with him, Frank Tregear. She knew it as thoroughly
as it was possible for her to know anything;--and had acknowledged it
to herself a score of times.

But she could not marry him. And it was expected, nay, almost
necessary that she should marry someone. To that someone, how good
she would be! How she would strive by duty and attention, and if
possible by affection, to make up for that misfortune of her early
love!

And so I hope that I have brought my cart in to its appointed place
in the front, without showing too much of the horse.

CHAPTER XI

"Cruel"

For two or three days after the first scene between th