engagement that she desires to-day would be the blight and
burden of her life. No. I say it is a cruel injustice to let young
people decide for themselves on such a point. Half the misery in the
world springs from these mistakes. Think over the matter coolly, and you
will see it as I do."

"It is you who do Rosa injustice," Everett answered, and paused. "Were
it to be as you wish," he added, "and we to separate utterly, with no
outwardly acknowledged tie to link us, no letters to pass between us, no
word or sign from one to the other during all the coming years,--suppose
it so,--you would shadow our lives with much unnecessary misery; but you
are mistaken, if you think you would really part us. You do not
understand."

"Nonsense! You talk like a young man in love. You _must_ be reasonable."

Lady Beauchamp, by this time, had worked herself into the usual warmth
with which she argued all questions, great and small, and forgot that
her original intention in speaking to Everett had only been to set
before him the disadvantages of his plans, in order that her own might
come to the rescue with still greater brilliancy and effect.

"You _must_ be reasonable," she repeated. "You don't suppose I have not
my child's happiness at heart in all I plan and purpose? Trust me, I
have had more experience of life than either of you, and it is for me to
interpose between you and the dangers you would blindly rush upon. Some
day you will both thank me for having done so, hard and cruel as you may
think me now."

"No, I do not think you either hard or cruel. You are _mistaken_,
simply. I believe you desire our happiness. I do not reproach or blame
you, Lady Beauchamp," Everett said, sadly.

"Come, come," she cried, touched by his look and manner to an immediate
unfolding of her scheme, "let us look at things again. Perhaps we shall
not find them so hopeless as they look. If I am prudent, Everett, I am
not mercenary. I only want to see Rosa happy. I don't care whether it is
on hundreds a year, or thousands. And the fact is, I have not condemned
your plans without having a more satisfactory one to offer to your
choice. Listen to me."

And she proceeded, with a cleared brow, and the complacency of one who
feels she is performing the part of a good genius, setting everything to
rights, and making everybody comfortable, to unfold the plan _she_ had
devised, by which Everett's future was to be secured, and his marriage
with Rosa looked t