did
anything of the kind ever occur to you?"

"Was her family really mean?"

"Everyone says so. Mrs. Gallantry tells me that our illustrious M. P.
has made laborious searches, hoping to prove something scandalous. Of
course she tells it as a proof of Mr. Robb's unscrupulous hatred of
Lady Ogram. I daresay the truth is that she came of a low class. At all
events, Miss Tomalin, who represents the family in a progressive stage,
is to establish its glory for ever. One understands. It's very human."

Lashmar wore the Toplady smile.

"It never occurred to our friend," he said, "that her niece might
undertake the great trust instead of you?"

"She has spoken to me quite frankly about that. The trust cannot be so
great as it would have been, but it remains with me. Miss Tomalin, it
'nay be hoped, will play not quite an ordinary part in the fashionable
world; she has ideas of her own, and"--the voice was modulated--"some
faith in herself. But my position is different, and perhaps my mind.
Lady Ogram assures me that her faith in me, and her hopes, have
suffered no change. For one thing, the mill is to become my property.
Then--"

She hesitated, and her eyes passed over the listener's face. Lashmar
was very attentive.

"There's no need to go into details," she added quickly. "Lady Ogram
told me everything, saying she felt that the time had come for doing
so. And I accepted the trust."

"Without knowing, however," said Dyce, "the not unimportant condition
which her mind attached to it."

"There was no condition, expressed or reserved."

Constance's tone had become hard again. Her eyes were averted, her lips
set in their firmest lines.

"Are you quite sure of that?"

"Quite," was the decisive reply.

"How do you reconcile that with what has passed today between Lady
Ogram and me?"

"It was between Lady Ogram and _you_," said Constance, subduing her
voice.

"I see. You mean that I alone am concerned; that your position will in
no case be affected?"

"Yes, I mean that," answered Constance, quietly.

Lashmar thought for a moment, then moved on his chair, and spoke in a
low tone, which seemed addressed to his hearer's sympathy.

"Perhaps you are right. Probably you are. But there is one thing of
which _I_ feel every assurance. If it becomes plain that her project
must come to nothing, Lady Ogram's interest in me is at an end. I may
say good-bye to Hollingford."

"You are mistaken," replied Constance, in a voic