tiest and most bewitching of
all feminine headgear, let fashion change as it may. "Yes," he cried,
"she is the loveliest creature in the world, and I love her to
distraction." He rose, and went to meet the loveliest creature in the
world, whose earthly name was Charlotte Halliday. She was walking with
Diana Paget, who, to more sober judges, might have seemed the handsomer
woman of the two. Alas for Diana! the day had been when Valentine
Hawkehurst considered her very handsome, and had need to fight a hard
battle with himself in order not to fall in love with her. He had been
conqueror in that struggle of prudence and honour against nascent love,
only to be vanquished utterly by Charlotte's brighter charms and
Charlotte's sunnier nature.

The two girls shook hands with Mr. Hawkehurst. An indifferent observer
might have perceived that the colour faded from the face of one, while
a blush mounted to the cheeks of the other. But Valentine did not see
the sudden pallor of Diana's face--he had eyes only for Charlotte's
blushes. Nor did Charlotte herself perceive the sudden change in her
dearest friend's countenance. And that perhaps is the bitterest sting
of all. It is not enough that some must weep while others play; the
mourners must weep unnoticed, unconsoled; happiness is so apt to be
selfish.

Of course the conversation was the general sort of thing under the
given circumstances--just a little more inane and disjointed than the
ordinary small talk of people who meet each other in their walks abroad.

"How do you do, Mr. Hawkehurst?--Very well, thank you.--Mamma is very
well; at least no, not quite well; she has one of her headaches this
morning. She is rather subject to headache, you know; and the canaries
sing so loud. Don't the canaries sing abominably loud, Diana?--loudly
they would have made me say at Hyde Lodge; but it is only awfully
clever people who know when to use adverbs."

And Miss Halliday having said all this in a hurried and indeed almost
breathless manner, stopped suddenly, blushing more deeply than at
first, and painfully aware of her blushes. She looked imploringly at
Diana; but Diana would not come to the rescue; and this morning Mr.
Hawkehurst seemed as a man struck with sudden dumbness.

There followed presently a little discussion of the weather. Miss
Halliday was possessed by the conviction that there would be
rain--possibly not immediate rain, but before the afternoon inevitable
rain. Valenti