never had to complain of my dear Giles again.

I think hearing about Lady Betty's long engagement with Claude Hamilton
had made him very sore. He had been bitterly angry both with poor little
Lady Betty and also with Gladys. He declared the secrecy had hurt him
more than anything; but Eric acted as peacemaker, and he was soon induced
to condone his sisters' trangression.

He came down to talk over the matter with me, and to tell me of the
arrangements he had made for them.

It seemed that a letter from Claude had arrived that very mail; telling
Giles of his promotion, and asking leave to come and fetch his dear
little Lady Betty. It was an honest, manly letter, Giles said; and as
Claude was in a better position, and Lady Betty had five thousand pounds
of her own, there seemed no reason against their marrying.

He had talked to both Max and Gladys, and they were willing that Claude
and Lady Betty should be married at the same time. The New Year had been
already fixed for Gladys's, and Max meant to get leave of absence for two
or three months and take her to Algiers; and as Claude would have to
start for India early in March, Giles thought the double wedding would be
best. They could get their _trousseaux_ together, and the fuss would be
got over more easily.

I expressed myself as charmed with all these arrangements, for I thought
it would be very dull for Lady Betty to be left behind at Gladwyn; and
then I asked Giles what he had settled about Eric.

He told me that Eric was still undecided, but he rather thought of going
to Cirencester to enter the agricultural college there.

'You see, Ursula,' he went on, 'the lad is a bit restless. He has given
up his absurd idea of becoming an artist,--I never did believe in those
daubs of his,--but he feels he can never settle down to city life. He is
very much improved, far more manly and sensible than I ever hoped to see
him; but he is of different calibre from myself,'

'Do you think farming will suit him?' I asked anxiously.

'Better than anything else, I should say,' was the reply. 'Eric is an
active, capable fellow, and he was always fond of out-door pursuits. He
is young enough to learn. I have promised to keep Dorlicote Farm in my
own hands until he is ready to take it. It is only ten miles from here,
and has a very good house attached to it, and Eric will find himself in
clover.' Then, as though some other thought were uppermost in his mind,
he continued, 'I am s