she left me a baby, alone, in England, until the hour when this one
splendid man took me into his heart."

"Poor mother!" sighed the sister. "I am grateful she is spared
_this_."

"Don't think that she doesn't know it!" cried Lydia. "If 'Liza
approved, mother does, and she is glad of her child's happiness."

"Her child--yes, her child," taunted the sister. "Child! child!
Yes, and what of the _child_ you will probably mother?"

The crimson swept painfully down the young girl's face, but she
braved it out.

"Yes," she stammered, "a child, perhaps a _son_, a son of mine,
who, poor boy, can never inherit his father's title."

"And why not, pray?" remarked her sister.

"Because the female line of lineage will be broken," explained the
girl. "He _should_ marry someone else, so that the family title
could follow the family name. His father and mother have
practically cast him off because of me. _Don't_ you see? Can't you
understand that I am only an untitled commoner to his people? I am
only a white girl."

"_Only_ a white girl!" repeated the sister, sarcastically. "Do you
mean to tell me that you believe these wretched Indians don't want
him to marry you? _You_, a _Bestman_, and an English girl?
Nonsense, Lydia! You are talking utter nonsense." But the sister's
voice weakened, nevertheless.

"But it's true," asserted the girl. "You don't understand the
Indian nation as 'Liza did; it's perfectly true--a son of mine can
claim no family title; the honor of it must leave the name of
Mansion forever. Oh, his parents have completely shut him out of
their lives because I am only a white girl!" and the sweet young
voice trembled woefully.

"I decline to discuss this disgraceful matter with you any
further," said the sister coldly. "Perhaps my good husband can
bring you to your senses," and the lady left the room in a fever of
indignation.

But her "good husband," the city clergyman, declined the task of
"bringing Lydia to her senses." He merely sent for her to go to his
study, and, as she stood timidly in the doorway, he set his small
steely eyes on her and said:

"You will leave this house at once, to-night. _To-night_, do you
hear? I'll have no Indian come _here_ after my wife's sister. I
hope you quite understand me?"

"Quite, sir," replied the girl, and with a stiff bow she turned and
went back to her room.

In the haste of packing up her poor and scanty wardrobe, she heard
her sister's voice saying to the c