anged the
appellation into 'Miss Martindale.'

'Well!' said she, feeling as if her citadel were in jeopardy.

'Would you--would you be so very kind as to lend me a French
dictionary?'

'Certainly; I'll give you one in a moment,' said Theodora; with so
little encouragement as would have deterred a person bent on gaining
the entree. Violet stood meekly waiting till she brought the book, and
received it with gratitude disproportionate to the favour conferred.

CHAPTER 5

Some heavy business hath my lord in hand,
And I must know it, else he loves me not.
--King Henry IV

Miss Gardner's departure threw the rest of the party more together,
and Theodora did not hold herself as much aloof as before. Indeed she
perceived that there were occasions when Arthur seemed to be returning
to his preference for her. She had more conversation, and it often fell
on subjects of which the bride had no knowledge, while the sister was
happy in resuming old habits. Sometimes Violet was entertained; but one
day when they were riding, the talk was going on eagerly on some subject
of which she knew nothing, while they rode faster than she liked, and
she fancied she was insecure in her saddle. Twice she timidly called
Arthur; but he was too much absorbed to attend to her, without a degree
of scream, which she did not feel would be justified. Each moment she
grew more alarmed and miserable, and though at last, when he perceived
that she wanted him, he was off his horse in a moment and set all to
rights, she completely forgot her distress,--the charm had been broken,
she was no longer his first thought.

The sensation of loneliness often returned during the next few weeks;
there was no real neglect, and she would not so have felt it if she had
not depended on him alone, and so long enjoyed his exclusive attention.
His fondness and petting were the same, but she perceived that he found
in his sister a companionship of which she did not feel capable. But to
Theodora herself, whenever she succeeded in engrossing Arthur, it seemed
a victory of sisterly affection and sense over beauty and frivolity.

Arthur was anxious to know the family politics, and resumed the habit of
depending on his sister for gathering intelligence from Mrs. Nesbit. On
her he bestowed his complaints that his father would not see things as
he wished, and with her talked over his projects. In truth, he could not
bear to disclose to h