to his
friend's wife visiting Vellenaux, although she had, as he would
facetiously observe, risen from the ranks.

The lady in question was, at eighteen, tall, pretty and ambitious. She
had at an early age determined to rise above the station in which she
was born, and for that object she had studied most assiduously at the
village school, where she attained the reputation of being the most apt
scholar of her class. A few years residence with a relative London
served to develop her natural abilities, and she lost no opportunity of
pursuing her studies or of affecting the tone and fashion of persons
moving in a far higher circle than her own.

Education and application she knew would doubtless do much to elevate
her in the social scale, but the position she so earnestly sought for
was to become the wife of some man of good standing in society, whose
means would be sufficient to support her in that style to which her
ambition led her to hope for, and for this she strove hard and was
rewarded for her perseverance by becoming the wife of a reputed wealthy
barrister some thirty years her senior, and for a few years enjoying the
position she had attained, visiting and visited by the uppercrusts of
the place and not unfrequently dining at Vellenaux and otherwise
enjoying the hospitality of its owner.

When little Edith was about seven years old, Mr. Fraudhurst was gathered
to his fathers, and the sorrowing widow was left in a very different
position than was anticipated either by herself or others who took any
interest in such matters; the house and grounds which she fully believed
to be her own property, passed into the hands of a distant relative of
the deceased barrister, and with the exception of the furniture and some
three hundred pounds in cash, she was no better off than she had been
prior to her marriage; but, being a woman of great tact, she contrived
to keep this circumstance from the knowledge of the enquiring
neighbours, and having applied to the new owner of the premises she
obtained permission to occupy them for a period of six months.

On the Baronet calling to pay his visit of condolence the lady, who had
previously arranged what she should say and do on the occasion, unfolded
to Sir Jasper her real position and out of friendship for her late
husband claimed his advice and assistance. The worthy old bachelor
declared his willingness to assist her if she could only point out the
way; as to advice he could r