ttempts he made to vary the sternly practical nature of the evening's
occupation by slipping in compliments sidelong she put away from her
with the contemptuous self-possession of a woman of twice her age. She
literally forced him into his part. Her father fell asleep in his chair.
Mrs. Vanstone and Miss Garth lost their interest in the proceedings,
retired to the further end of the room, and spoke together in whispers.
It grew later and later; and still Magdalen never flinched from her
task--still, with equal perseverance, Norah, who had been on the watch
all through the evening, kept on the watch to the end. The distrust
darkened and darkened on her face as she looked at her sister and Frank;
as she saw how close they sat together, devoted to the same interest
and working to the same end. The clock on the mantel-piece pointed
to half-past eleven before Lucy the resolute permitted Falkland the
helpless to shut up his task-book for the night. "She's wonderfully
clever, isn't she?" said Frank, taking leave of Mr. Vanstone at the hall
door. "I'm to come to-morrow, and hear more of her views--if you have
no objection. I shall never do it; don't tell her I said so. As fast as
she teaches me one speech, the other goes out of my head. Discouraging,
isn't it? Goodnight."

The next day but one was the day of the first full rehearsal. On the
previous evening Mrs. Vanstone's spirits had been sadly depressed. At
a private interview with Miss Garth she had referred again, of her
own accord, to the subject of her letter from London--had spoken
self-reproachfully of her weakness in admitting Captain Wragge's
impudent claim to a family connection with her--and had then reverted to
the state of her health and to the doubtful prospect that awaited her in
the coming summer in a tone of despondency which it was very distressing
to hear. Anxious to cheer her spirits, Miss Garth had changed the
conversation as soon as possible--had referred to the approaching
theatrical performance--and had relieved Mrs. Vanstone's mind of all
anxiety in that direction, by announcing her intention of accompanying
Magdalen to each rehearsal, and of not losing sight of her until she
was safely back again in her father's house. Accordingly, when Frank
presented himself at Combe-Raven on the eventful morning, there stood
Miss Garth, prepared--in the interpolated character of Argus--to
accompany Lucy and Falkland to the scene of trial. The railway conveyed
the t