Upon my word, Mabel, I think he
was taken with you then.'

"'I am sure you are mistaken. We scarcely exchanged a dozen words.'

"'But James has his eyes.'

"'I must not trust my ears when you flatter so sweetly,' I said.

"'Well, the truth is, Mabel, I am a little disappointed. My heart, I may
as well own it, was set on having you for a daughter-in-law, and I wont
believe it quite impossible yet. General Harrington is so nice in his
sense of honor, but women care nothing about business, and the idea of
refusing a noble young fellow because you have money, is just
ridiculous, especially as my son will have plenty by and by, don't you
think so.'

"'It would be where love existed, certainly,' I answered, ready to cast
myself into this woman's arms, and tell her all that was stirring in my
heart.

"'Ah, it is a pity that you could not have fancied him,' she answered,
'seeing it would have saved him from this choice which General
Harrington approves so much; but I cannot believe it yet.'

"'But the General should know.'

"'I hope not, I hope not. The truth is, dear, I never could like the
girl, and as for her mother, the very idea of a connection with her
makes me shiver.'

"'She certainly is not a pleasant woman,' I said.

"'Pleasant! but we will not talk of her. Mercy! that is her voice, let
me escape.'"

CHAPTER XLII.

A DUKE IN THE HOUSE.

"Mrs. Harrington gathered up the cloud-like drapery of her white dress,
and glided out of the room. She was certainly a lovely woman, sweet and
gentle as a child, with nerve and energy, too, as I afterwards found
out; but that night she had wounded me terribly, and I was glad to see
her go.

"I sat down on the couch when quite alone, and covering my face with
both hands, struggled hard to free the tears that weighed down my heart.
It seemed that some wrong had been done me,--that the whole Harrington
family was in league to break up my life before it had really commenced.
But I could not shed a tear, a keen sense of shame kept me from the
relief of weeping. Shame that I, a young girl, should suffer thus from a
knowledge of another's happiness. Yes, I was bitterly ashamed, and shut
my face out from the mirror before me, afraid to look upon my own
humiliation. Did they know it? Had that aristocratic old man guessed at
my weakness, and sent his wife there to convince me how hopeless it was?
Not directly--not in any way that she could recognise as a mission; tha