the brother-in-law of that Howel
Jenkins. Do you think it discreet, Mr Gwynne?'

'Why, really, Lady Mary, I didn't think about it. She has always done
what she likes; they are very worthy, respectable people, you know, and
all that sort of thing.'

'Well, if you don't object, of course it is no affair of mine. But it
looks very much as if she still thought of Mr Rowland.'

'Oh, an excellent young man! It was only yesterday I saw his name
mentioned in the _Times_, as having attended a large meeting in the
place of his rector, who is ill. It was upon the general question of all
sorts of improvements of the low parts of London. I can't exactly
remember what they were, religious, and sanitary, and all that sort of
thing you know. Well, the thanks of the meeting were awarded him, for
his very clear and accurate information, or something of the sort. Very
satisfactory, you know.'

'Oh very! but that can have nothing to do with Freda.'

'She is very good, is Freda, much improved! she never disputes and
quarrels with me now. I hope she will live with us--indeed I cannot part
with her again.'

At Abertewey, Mrs Vaughan asked the colonel whether 'he thought Freda
would come away from that thupid wedding, in time for dinner.'

'If she doesn't, I will never ask her here again,' was the reply. 'Now
Freda really is a capital girl, unaffected and sensible; improving every
year. I wish all women were more like her.'

'Tho do I, Gwynne; the ith very nice, tho kind to the children, and not
tho thatirical to me as the uthed to be. I uthed to be afraid of her,
but I am not now, at all. Don't you think thatirical people very
dithagreeable? I hope Winnie won't be thatirical, don't you? Mamma
thaith--'

'Never mind what she says, my dear. I hope Freda will come. All the
people will be so disgusted if she does not, particularly poor Sir Hugh.
I wish she would marry him--but she is too good for him. Intellectual
people ought not to marry those who have no brains.'

'No, thertainly not. Oh! here they are! Freda and all. I hear her
voithe. I am tho glad.'

To Freda's surprise, every one seemed really glad to see her, and to the
surprise of every one, the more they saw of her, the more they liked
her. The very people whom she had shunned as bores, and who had shunned
her as 'tho thatirical,' now became friendly and pleasant to her, and
she to them; how it was they could not tell, but various reasons were
assigned for the change.

'