ugh they had been compliments,
Sibylla subsided into sullen silence. And when Jan left, he could not
tell whether she still persisted in her project, or whether she gave it
up.

CHAPTER LXXXIII.

WELL-NIGH WEARIED OUT.

Lionel returned late in the evening; he had been detained at Verner's
Pride. Sibylla appeared sullen still. She was in her own sitting-room,
upstairs, and Lucy was bearing her company. Decima was in Lady Verner's
chamber.

"Have you had any dinner?" inquired Lucy. _She_ did not ask. She would
not have asked had he been starving.

"I took a bit with John Massingbird," he replied. "Is my mother better,
do you know?"

"Not much, I think," said Lucy. "Decima is sitting with her."

Lionel stood in his old attitude, his elbow on the mantel-piece by his
wife's side, looking down at her. Her eyes were suspiciously bright, her
cheeks now shone with their most crimson hectic. It was often the case
at this, the twilight hour of the evening. She wore a low dress, and the
gold chain on her neck rose and fell with every breath. Lucy's neck was
uncovered, too: a fair, pretty neck; one that did not give you the
shudders when looked at as poor Sibylla's did. Sibylla leaned back on
the cushions of her chair, toying with a fragile hand-screen of
feathers; Lucy, sitting on the opposite side, had been reading; but she
laid the book down when Lionel entered.

"John Massingbird desired me to ask you, Sibylla, if he should send you
the first plate of grapes they cut."

"I'd rather have the first bag of walnuts they shake," answered Sibylla.
"I never cared for grapes."

"He can send you both," said Lionel; but an uncomfortable, dim
recollection came over him, of Jan's having told her she must not eat
walnuts. For Jan to tell her not to do a thing, however--or, in fact,
for anybody else--was the sure signal for Sibylla to do it.

"Does John Massingbird intend to go to-morrow evening?" inquired
Sibylla.

"To Deerham Hall, do you mean? John Massingbird has not received an
invitation."

"What's that for?" quickly asked Sibylla.

"Some whim of Miss Hautley's, I suppose. The cards have been issued very
partially. John says it is just as well he did not get one, for he
should either not have responded to it, or else made his appearance
there with his clay pipe."

Lucy laughed.

"He is glad to be left out," continued Lionel. "It saves him the trouble
of a refusal. I don't think any ball would get John Mass