to stay away from Northumberland, than to
go away from it, _again_."

And Macloud, being wise, dropped the conversation, saying only:

"Well, I may not have to go."

A little later, as he sat in the drawing-room at Carringtons', he
broached a matter which had been on his mind for some time--working
around to it gradually, with Croyden the burden of their talk. When his
opportunity came--as it was bound to do--he took it without
hesitation.

"You are right," he replied. "Croyden had two reasons for leaving
Northumberland: one of them has been eliminated; the other is stronger
than ever."

She looked at him, shrewdly.

"And that other is a woman?" she said.

He nodded. "A woman who has plenty of money--more than she can ever
spend, indeed."

"And in looks?"

"The only one who can approach yourself."

"Altogether, most desirable!" she laughed. "What was the
trouble--wouldn't she have him?"

"He didn't ask her."

"Useless?"

"Anything but useless."

"You mean she was willing?"

"I think so."

"And Croyden?"

"More than willing, I take it."

"Then, what was the difficulty?"

"Her money--she has so much!--So much, that, in comparison, he is a
mere pauper:--twenty millions against two hundred thousand."

"If she be willing, I can't see why he is shy?"

"He says it is all right for a poor girl to marry a rich man, but not
for a poor man to marry a rich girl. His idea is, that the husband
should be able to maintain his wife according to her condition. To
marry else, he says, is giving hostages to fortune, and is derogatory
to that mutual respect which should exist between them."

"We all give hostages to fortune when we marry!" Miss Carrington
exclaimed.

"Not all!" replied Macloud, meaningly.

She flushed slightly.

"What is it you want me to do?" she asked hastily--"or can I do
anything?"

"You can," he answered. "You can ask Miss Cavendish to visit you for a
few days."

"Can you, by any possibility, mean Elaine Cavendish?"

"That's exactly who I do mean--do you know her?"

"After a fashion--we went to Dobbs Ferry together."

"Bully!" exclaimed Macloud. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never mentioned her before."

"True!" he laughed. "This is fortunate, very fortunate! Will you ask
her down?"

"She will think it a trifle peculiar."

"On the contrary, she'll think it more than kind--a positive favor. You
see, she knows I'm with Croyden, but she doesn't know where; so she
wrote