o her father the distant figures of Mary
and Robin moving briskly along at the farther side of the Square.

"Do you notice anything there, papa?" she asked.

"What do you mean, my pet?"

Sir Denis was quite flurried at Nelly's suddenly coming out of her
brooding silence.

"I mean Mary and Robin," she answered. "It has been borne in on me that
that is why Robin was not in love with me. Poor Robin! He would have
gone through it heroically. Never say again, papa, that he is not a true
Drummond. And I should never have known if he could have helped it that
I wasn't the only woman for him."

"You don't mean to say, Nell, that Robin is in love with Miss Gray?"

"That is it, papa."

The General turned very red. For a second his impulse was towards wrath;
then he checked himself.

"To be sure, as you didn't want him, Nell, it would be the height of
unreasonableness to expect poor Robin to be miserable for your sake. And
Miss Gray is a fine creature--a fine, handsome, clever creature. Still,
there is a great difference in their positions. It will be a blow to the
Dowager."

"Mrs. Ilbert would not have minded."

"God bless my soul! You don't mean to say that Miss Gray could have had
Ilbert?"

"She has refused him, but I don't think he has given up hope."

"God bless my soul! Why, the Ilberts are connected with half the
peerage. We Drummonds are only country squires beside them. Such a
handsome fellow too, and with such a reputation! Why should she refuse
Ilbert? Is the girl mad?"

"Robin was first in the field. But I happen to know that Mary refused
Mr. Ilbert while yet Robin and I were engaged. What do you think of
that?"

"Madder and madder. I don't understand women, Nell. Such a fellow as
Ilbert! Why, he might marry anybody. We must make it easy for them with
the Dowager, Nell--as easy as we can. We owe a good deal to Miss Gray."

"Oh, she'll come round--she'll have to come round."

"Do you suppose they understand each other, Nell?"

"I don't think Robin has spoken. He seems to be waiting for something. I
have only noticed the last day or two. Before that I was absorbed in my
troubles--such a selfish daughter, papa."

"My darling, we have all felt with you. It is so good to see you more
yourself, Nell."

"Ah!" She turned away her head. "I have a feeling--there is no reason
for it at all--that good news is coming. I felt it when I awoke this
morning."

Meanwhile Robin Drummond and Mary had the Square