t's one comfort! He'll suffer for it! If
he thinks Lilias is going to be the sort of wife he needs, he'll find
out his mistake. He thinks himself well off because he has a few
hundreds a year, and is as proud as a king because he has a house of his
own in a dull little country town. Lilias's ideas of poverty and his of
wealth will come to much the same thing. She hates the country, and
flies off to town at the least excuse. Ned is quiet and book-wormy; and
she wants some one who is fond of life, and likes gadding about. They
don't suit each other in any one way that I can see, and before a year
is over they will have found it out for themselves. Then he will be
sorry!"

Maud cut her short with uplifted hand.

"Don't, Nan; you make it worse! You mean to be kind, but it doesn't
comfort me to think that he will be disappointed. I love him, you see;
and I can't change in a moment because I discover that he doesn't care
for me. I want him to be happy. It would make me more miserable than
ever if I thought it was a mistake. You are too hard on Lilias. She is
very sweet and amiable, and if she really loves him she will not mind
little things like that. We never spoke about him together, she and I,
and she has only done what I did myself. No one is to blame--no one!
It was my own foolish mistake, and I must bear the consequences."

"You are an angel, and too good to live!" cried Nan, with a gulp. "I
blame everybody, and myself worst of all. Prided myself on being sharp-
sighted, and couldn't save you from a blow like this! ... Maud, you
don't want to go home? You would rather not see him this morning?
Mother said she would give no definite answer before talking to father,
but would let him see Lilias for half an hour, and then pack him off by
the midday train. She was going to tell him that under the
circumstances she would prefer that he did not stay to lunch, so there
would seem nothing strange about it if you and I were not back before he
left."

"No," agreed Maud softly. She drew her watch from her belt and looked
at the hour. "Perhaps you are right, Nan. It would be better not to
try my strength too much this morning. In a day or two I shall have
gained a little courage, but this morning I--I've had rather a shock,
and feel weak and nervous. We will sit here and wait until he is gone."

"Wouldn't you rather come for a walk? The time seems so long when you
are sitting still. A nice brisk wal