"But, Maurice, it is perfect nonsense. Why should you give money to that
wretched man? _We_ might, indeed, do something for him."

"Who are 'we?' You had better be careful at present how you use your
personal pronouns."

"I meant mamma and I might, of course."

"I do not see the 'of course' at all. Mamma has nothing whatever to do
with it--nor even you. This is simply a mark of gratitude to Mr. Bailey
for a service he did me lately."

Lucia let her hand rest a little less lightly on Maurice's arm.

"And me too," she said softly.

"Use your 'we' in its right sense, then, and _we_ will reward him. But
not unless you are sure that you do not repent having been frightened."

"Ah! you don't know how glad I was when mamma made me write that note.
It did better than the one I tore up."

"What was that? Did you tear one up?"

"Yes. After all, I don't believe you were as miserable as I was; for I
wrote once; I did actually write and ask you to come--only I tore up the
note--and you were consoling yourself with Miss Landor."

"Miss Landor! By the way, has she been asked to come over, for the
tenth?"

"I don't know. You ought to ask her yourself. Why did not you propose to
her, Maurice? Or perhaps you did?"

"If I did not, you may thank Bailey. Yes, indeed, Lucia, you contrived
so well to persuade me you never would care for me that I began to
imagine it was best I should marry her; that is, supposing she would
have me."

"And all the while I was doing nothing but think of you, and of how
wicked and ungrateful and all sorts of bad things I had been in Paris."

"And I--" etc. etc.

The rest of their conversation that morning was much like it was on
other days, and certainly not worth repeating. Lucia, however, took the
first opportunity of speaking to Lady Dighton about Miss Landor, and
seeing that her invitation for the wedding was not neglected.

The tenth of July, Lucia's birthday and her marriage-day, came quickly
to end these pleasant weeks of courtship. It was glorious weather--never
bride in our English climate had more sunshine on her--and the whole
county rung with the report of her wonderful beauty, and of the romantic
story of these two young people, who had suddenly appeared from the
unknown regions of Canada, and taken such a prominent and brilliant
place in the neighbourhood.

But they troubled themselves little just then, either with their own
marvellous fortunes or with the gossip of their n