he question, was almost imperious in her eagerness.

"Why not, aunt? It is not easy to answer such a question as that. A
woman, I suppose, can't say why she doesn't love a man, nor yet why
she does. You see, it's so sudden. I hadn't thought of him in that
way."

"You've known him now for nearly a year, and you've been in the house
with him for the last three weeks. If you haven't seen that he has
been attached to you, you are the only person in the house that has
been so blind."

"I haven't seen it at all, aunt."

"Perhaps you are afraid of the responsibility," said Lady Ball.

"I should fear it certainly; but that alone would not deter me. I
would endeavour to do my best."

"And you don't like living in the same house with me and Sir John."

"Indeed, yes; you are always good to me; and as to my uncle, I know
he does not mean to be unkind. I should not fear that."

"The truth is, I suppose, Margaret, that you do not like to part with
your money."

"That's unjust, aunt. I don't think I care more for my money than
another woman."

"Then what is it? He can give you a position in the world higher than
any you could have had a hope to possess. As Lady Ball you will be
equal in all respects to your own far-away cousin, Lady Mackenzie."

"That has nothing to do with it, aunt."

"Then what is it?" asked Lady Ball again. "I suppose you have no
absolute objection to be a baronet's wife."

"Suppose, aunt, that I do not love him?"

"Pshaw!" said the old woman.

"But it isn't pshaw," said Miss Mackenzie. "No woman ought to marry a
man unless she feels that she loves him."

"Pshaw!" said Lady Ball again.

They had both been standing; and as everybody else was gone Miss
Mackenzie had determined that she would go off to bed without
settling herself in the room. So she prepared herself for her
departure.

"I'll say good-night now, aunt. I have still some of my packing to
do, and I must be up early."

"Don't be in a hurry, Margaret. I want to speak to you before you
leave us, and I shall have no other opportunity. Sit down, won't
you?"

Then Miss Mackenzie seated herself, most unwillingly.

"I don't know that there is anyone nearer to you than I am, my dear;
at any rate, no woman; and therefore I can say more than any other
person. When you talk of not loving John, does that mean--does it
mean that you are engaged to anyone else?"

"No, it does not."

"And it does not mean that there is anyone else whom yo