her, but she would only listen to that
young Strangeways."

"Strangeways! I wonder if that is Susan Lorimer's son?"

"Probably, for his Christian name is Lorimer."

"I knew her rather well as a girl. She was old Lord Lorimer's
youngest daughter, and we used to walk in the Square gardens
together; but I did not see much of her after I married; and after a
good while, she married a man who had made a great fortune by
mining. I wonder what her son is like?"

"He must be the man, for he is said to be the millionaire of the
regiment. Just the match that Lady Tyrrell would like."

"Ah! that's well," said Mrs. Poynsett.

"From your point of view," said Julius, smiling.

"If he will only speak out before it has had time to go deep with
Frank!"

CHAPTER IX
Cold Heart

At that very moment the two sisters in question were driving home in
the opposite corners of the carriage in the dark.

"Really, Lenore," was Lady Tyrrell saying, "you are a very
impracticable girl."

There was a little low laugh in answer.

"What blast has come and frozen you up into ice?" the elder sister
added caressingly; but as she felt for Eleonora's hand in the dark,
she obtained nothing but the cold handle of a fan. "That's just
it!" she said, laughing; "hard ivory, instead of flesh and blood."

"I can't help it!" was the answer.

"But why not? I'm sure you had admiration enough to turn any girl's
head."

No answer.

Lady Tyrrell renewed her address still more tenderly--"Lenore,
darling, it is quite needful that you should understand your
position."

"I am afraid I understand it only too well," came in a smothered
voice.

"It may be very painful, but it ought to be made clear before you
how you stand. You know that my father was ruined--there's no word
for it but ruined."

"Yes."

"He had to give up the property to the creditors, and live on an
allowance."

"I know that."

"And, of course, I can't bear speaking of it; but the house is
really let to me. I have taken it as I might any other house to
let."

"Yes," again assented Eleonora.

"And do you know why?"

"You said it was for the sake of the old home and my father!" said
the girl, with a bitter emphasis on the _said_.

"So it was! It was to give you the chance of redeeming it, and
keeping it in the family. It is to be sold, you know, as soon as
you are of age, and can give your consent. I can't buy it. Mine is
only a jointure, a life income,