tisfaction in his
social impregnability and was readily overpowered by the recollection of
personal defects to which he was acutely alive. In the atmosphere of
Katie's coolness, he forgot his earldom and thought disconsolately of
his nose. He was disconcerted, and after a few embarrassed words took
his leave. It never occurred to him as a consolation that his tones and
glances were growing a little too loverlike to be safely on exhibition
before Elizabeth who had not noticed them in the moments that Bulchester
had forgotten his caution, but who, as Katie knew, might wake up to the
fact at any glance. Elizabeth bade him farewell kindly, she pitied his
disappointment, and thought that he bore it well. But as she watched his
half-timorous movements, she believed that even had her own marriage
ceremony turned out to be a reality. Lord Bulchester would have had no
chance with a girl who had been loved by Stephen Archdale whose wooing
was as full of intrepidity as his other acts.

"Well! What are you thinking of?" asked Katie meeting her earnest gaze.

"Do you want me to tell you?"

"Yes."

"I was wondering why you tortured him. Why don't you send him away at
once, and forever?"

Katie laughed unaimiably. "He seems to like the torturing," she said.
Then she looked at Elizabeth in a teasing way. "Some girls would prefer
him to Stephen, you know," she added.

"You mean because he has a title? You can't think of any other reason."

"Oh, of course I don't, my Archdale champion. How strange that you trust
me so little, Elizabeth!"

"Trust you so little, Katie? Why, if any other girl did as you are
doing, I should say she was playing false with her betrothed, and meant
to throw him over. I never imagine such a thing of you. I only feel that
you are very cruel to Lord Bulchester."

Katie cast down her eyes for a moment. "Some things are beyond our
control," she answered.

"Not things like these," said Elizabeth. "Since you have suffered
yourself, I don't understand why you want to make other people suffer."

"Don't you?" returned the girl. "That's just the reason, I suppose. Why
should I be alone? But I shall be done with playing by and by,
Elizabeth."

"Yes, I know, Katie," the girl answered. "I trust you."

Again Katie looked down for a moment, looked up again, this time into
the face of her friend, and sighed lightly. "Don't think me better than
I am, Betsey," she implored, the dimples about her mouth effectually