guest there."

"Never mind. Make no more excuses. I see how it is. You always were
jealous of Fred's liking for me. And of course when he goes down to
Mostyn you would prefer me to be absent."

"Good-by, Dora! I have a deal of shopping to do, and there is not much
time before the ball, for many things will be to make."

"The ball! What ball?"

"Only one at Rawdon Court. The neighbors have been exceedingly kind to
us, and the Squire is going to give a dinner and ball on the first of
August."

"Sit down and tell me about the neighbors--and the ball."

"I cannot. I promised Ruth to be back at five. Our modiste is to see us
at that hour."

"So Ruth is with you! Why did she not call on me?"

"Did you think I should come to London alone? And Ruth did not call
because she was too busy."

"Everyone and everything comes before me now. I used to be first of
all. I wish I were in Newport with dad and mamma; even Bryce would be a
comfort."

"As I said before, you have Mr. Stanhope."

"Are you going to send for me to the ball?"

"I cannot promise that, Dora. Good-by."

Dora did not answer. She buried her face in the soft pillow, and Ethel
closed the door to the sound of her sobs. But they did not cause her to
return or to make any foolish promises. She divined their insincerity
and their motive, and had no mind to take any part in forwarding the
latter.

And Ruth assured her she had acted wisely. "If trouble should ever come
of this friendship," she said, "Dora would very likely complain that
you had always thrown Mostyn in her way, brought him to her house in New
York, and brought her to him at Rawdon, in England. Marriage is such a
risk, Ethel, but to marry without the courage to adapt oneself. AH!"

"You think that condition unspeakably hard?"

"There are no words for it."

"Dora was not reticent, I assure you."

"I am sorry. A wife's complaints are self-inflicted wounds; scattered
seeds, from which only misery can spring. I hope you will not see her
again at this time."

"I made no promise to do so."

"And where all is so uncertain, we had better suppose all is right than
that all is wrong. Even if there was the beginning of wrong, it needs
but an accident to prevent it, and there are so many."

"Accidents!"

"Yes, for accident is God's part in affairs. We call it accident; it
would be better to say an interposition."

"Dora told me Mostyn intended to buy Rawdon Court in September, and he
has even