larly good
match. One knows nothing about him or his people, and--and I suppose
you've not felt quite satisfied. Yes, perhaps you might do better. You
may have some chances now. You've read the letter, and made up your
mind, of course?"

"The letter?" echoed Nell stupidly.

Mrs. Lorton stared at her angrily, and with a flush of resentment on her
peevish face.

"The letter I gave you last night, of course," she said. "Do you mean to
tell me that you haven't read it? The most important letter I have ever
received! At least, it is of the greatest importance to you. It is from
my cousin, Lord Wolfer. What have you done with it, Eleanor?"

Nell put her hand to her head.

"I must have left it in my room," she said. "I will go and fetch it."

Mrs. Lorton snorted.

"Such gross carelessness and indifference is really shameful!" she flung
after Nell.

Nell found the letter beside the bed, and returned with it to Mrs.
Lorton's room.

"Why, it's all crumpled up, as if you had been playing shuttlecock with
it!" exclaimed Mrs. Lorton indignantly. "It is absolutely disrespectful
of you, not to say ungrateful. Read it, if you please, and slowly; I
could not bear to have my cousin's letter gabbled over. I, at least,
know what is due to a Wolfer."

It was a moment or two before Nell's burning eyes could accomplish the
task of deciphering the lines of handwriting which seemed to have been
formed by a paralytic spider that had fallen into the ink and scrambled
spasmodically across the paper. There was no need to tell her to read
slowly, and she stumbled over every other word of the letter, which ran
thus:

"MY DEAR SOPHIA: You will doubtless be surprised at hearing from me,
and, indeed, I should not have written, for, as you are aware, my time
is fully occupied with public affairs, and I rarely write private
letters; but I have promised Lady Wolfer to communicate with you
directly, as, for obvious reasons, which you will presently see, she
does not desire my secretary to know of the proposal which I am about
to make you; as, in the event of your declining the proposition, there
would be no need for the fact of its having been made to become the
common knowledge of my household and the servants' hall. As you are
doubtless aware, by reading the public prints, Lady Wolfer takes a great
interest and a prominent part in the movement which is being made toward
the amelioration of the position of woman; indeed, I may say, with
p