ld not lose a
footfall; then she went to the window, and stood among the flowers there,
looking down into the street, and Anne saw that she watched his equipage.

'Twas early summer, and the sunshine flooded her from head to foot; the
window and balcony were full of flowers--yellow jonquils and daffodils,
white narcissus, and all things fragrant of the spring. The scent of
them floated about her like an incense, and a straying zephyr blew great
puffs of their sweetness back into the room. Anne felt it all about her,
and remembered it until she was an aged woman.

Clorinda's bosom rose high in an exultant, rapturous sigh.

"'Tis the Spring that comes," she murmured breathlessly. "Never hath it
come to me before."

Even as she said the words, at the very moment of her speaking, Fate--a
strange Fate indeed--brought to her yet another visitor. The door was
thrown open wide, and in he came, a lacquey crying aloud his name. 'Twas
Sir John Oxon.

* * * * *

Those of the World of Fashion who were wont to gossip, had bestowed upon
them a fruitful subject for discussion over their tea-tables, in the
future of the widowed Lady Dunstanwolde. All the men being enamoured of
her, 'twas not likely that she would long remain unmarried, her period of
mourning being over; and, accordingly, forthwith there was every day
chosen for her a new husband by those who concerned themselves in her
affairs, and they were many. One week 'twas a great general she was said
to smile on; again, a great beau and female conqueror, it being argued
that, having made her first marriage for rank and wealth, and being a
passionate and fantastic beauty, she would this time allow herself to be
ruled by her caprice, and wed for love; again, a certain marquis was
named, and after him a young earl renowned for both beauty and wealth;
but though each and all of those selected were known to have laid
themselves at her feet, none of them seemed to have met with the favour
they besought for.

There were two men, however, who were more spoken of than all the rest,
and whose court awakened a more lively interest; indeed, 'twas an
interest which was lively enough at times to become almost a matter of
contention, for those who upheld the cause of the one man would not hear
of the success of the other, the claims of each being considered of such
different nature. These two men were the Duke of Osmonde and Sir John
Oxon. 'Twas the soberer and more dignified w