ngratulating Grace. It was like the entrance of a blast of north wind,
and froze us all stiff."

"I am glad June is so near," Kate said, leaning lightly on her lover's
shoulder; "I could not stay here and know that she was mistress."

Mr. Stanford did not seem to hear; he was whistling to Tiger, lumbering
on the lawn. When he did speak, it was without looking at her.

"I am going to Ottawa next week."

"To Ottawa! With M. La Touche?" asked Kate, while Rose's face flushed
up.

"Yes; he wants me to go, and I have said yes. I shall stay until the end
of April."

Kate looked at him a little wistfully, but said nothing. Rose turned
suddenly, and ran upstairs.

"We shall miss you--I shall miss you," she said at last.

"It will not be for long," he answered, carelessly. "Come in and sing me
a song."

The first pang of doubt that had ever crossed Kate's mind of her
handsome lover, crossed it now, as she followed him into the
drawing-room.

"How careless he is!" she thought; "how willing to leave me! And
I--could I be contented anywhere in the world where he was not?"

By some mysterious chance, the song she selected was Eeny's "smile
again, my dearest love; weep not that I leave thee."

Stanford listened to it, his sunny face overcast.

"Why did you sing that?" he asked abruptly, when she had done.

"Don't you like it?"

"No; I don't like cynicism set to music. Here is a French
chansonnette--sing me that."

Kate sang for him song after song. The momentary pain the announcement
of his departure had given her wore away.

"It is natural he should like change," she thought, "and it is dull
here. I am glad he is going to Ottawa, and yet I shall miss him. Dear
Reginald! What would life be worth without you?"

The period of M. La Touche's stay was rapidly drawing to a close. March
was at its end, too--it was the last night of the month. The eve of
departure was celebrated at Danton Hall by a social party. The elder
Misses Danton on that occasion were as lovely and as much admired as
ever, and Messrs. Stanford and La Touche were envied by more than one
gentleman present. Grace's engagement to the Captain had got wind, and
she shared the interest with her step-daughters-elect.

Early next morning the two young men left. There was breakfast almost
before it was light, and everybody got up to see them off. It was a most
depressing morning. March had gone out like an idiotic lamb, and April
came in in sapping rain