, Mina heard more of Lady Evenswood--among other things,
that she had known Addie Tristram as a child; this fact impressed the
Imp beyond all the rest. But Lady Evenswood herself made a greater
impression still. An unusual timidity assaulted and conquered Mina when
she found herself with the white-haired old lady who never seemed to do
more than gently suggest and yet exercised command. Southend watched
them together with keen amusement, while Lady Evenswood drew out of Mina
some account of Cecily's feelings and of the scene at Blent.

"Well, that's Tristram all over," sighed Lady Evenswood at the end.

"Yes, isn't it?" cried Mina, emboldened by a sympathy that spoke her own
thought. "She hates to feel she's taken everything away from him. But
Lord Southend says he can't have it back."

"Oh, no, no, my dear. Still----" She glanced at Southend, doubtful
whether to mention their scheme.

He shook his head slightly.

"I dare say Lady Tristram was momentarily excited," he remarked to Mina,
"and I think too that she exaggerates what Harry feels. As far as I've
seen him, he's by no means miserable."

"Well, she is anyhow," said Mina. "And you won't convince her that he
isn't." She turned to Lady Evenswood. "Is there nothing to be done? You
see it's all being wasted."

"All being wasted?"

"Yes, Blent and all of it. He can't have it; and as things are now she
can't enjoy it."

"Very perverse, very perverse, certainly," murmured Southend,
frowning--although he was rather amused too.

"With an obvious solution," said Lady Evenswood, "if only we lived in
the realms of romance."

"I have suggested a magician," put in Southend. "Though he doesn't look
much like one," he added with a laugh.

Mina did not understand his remark, but she caught Lady Evenswood's
meaning.

"Yes," she said, "but Harry wouldn't do that either."

"He doesn't like his cousin?"

"Yes, I think so." She smiled as she added, "And even if he didn't that
mightn't matter."

The other two exchanged glances as they listened. Mina, inspired by a
subject that never failed to rouse her, gained courage.

"Any more than it mattered with Miss Iver," she pursued. "And he might
just as likely have given Blent to Cecily in that way as in the way he
actually did--if she'd wanted it very much and--and it had been a
splendid thing for him to do."

Lady Evenswood nodded gently. Southend raised his brows in a sort of
protest against this relentless analysis