reason that, though unable
to guess the cause, her manner had always repelled any approach to
confidence on that subject.

Mrs. Rolleston remembered Cecil's strange behaviour that afternoon,
but she had not even seen Bluebell since the picnic. It remained
unaccountable.

She reflected with vexation on the fatality that had made her refuse the
child's confidence so many months before; but yet she hoped no harm was
done, since Bluebell averred that Bertie and Cecil were engaged.

The letter to Mrs. Leighton was written that night ready for the morning
mail; another was also despatched to Mrs. Leigh at Bluebell's request,
who was anxious that Mrs. Rolleston should break the rather summary
measures to her--not that the latter anticipated much difficulty there.
All Canadians have a great idea of a visit to England, which they
tenaciously speak of as "home," and "the old country." And she would
probably be glad that Bluebell should see her father's birthplace.

At the child's express wish, it was also arranged for her to go home at
once, as companionship with Cecil could now be agreeable to neither of
them.

Mrs. Rolleston had only seen Du Meresq for a moment before he went away,
yet his manner, no less than her step-daughter's, clearly indicated that
something was wrong. Even Colonel Rolleston had taken up an attitude of
impenetrable reserve, and his wife was completely at fault. Next day,
however, the shock and terror of Cecil's illness fell upon them, turning
her mind to a more immediate subject of anxiety.

Bluebell could not do less than offer to remain, and share the vigils in
the sick room; but even in delirium Cecil became palpably worse when her
rival approached, so, in a few days, with much sadness, she bade farewell
to those who had made the world of her "most memorial year."

While Cecil was hovering on the borderland of mental darkness, a note
came for her from Bertie, written on receipt of the packet that Lola had
posted and was as follows:--

"What can I imagine, Cecil, from this parcel of my letters returned
without a word beyond the date and hour? You must have packed them up
at the very time I, as we had agreed, was asking for you from your
father. I shall not speak of the almost insulting way in which he
received my proposals, for that we had anticipated; but you had
promised in any event to be true to me. You could not have changed in
a summer day, I know your nature, my dearest litt