deprecation.

And she knew that Frank was under Camilla's spell, and admired and
trusted her still; nor had she been able to utter a word of caution
to undeceive him. Should she have the power on the morrow? Camilla
really loved skating, and surrounded as she was sure to be, there
was hope of escaping her vigilant eye once more. To-morrow there
would be another meeting with Frank! perhaps another walk with him!

That anticipation was soothing enough to bring back the power of
joyful gratitude, and therewith of hopeful prayer.

CHAPTER XV
Plot and Counterplot

A lady a party of pleasure made,
And she planned her scheme full well,
And day and night the party filled
The head of the demoiselle.--FABER

Though Frank had no reason to expect that the tidings of his success
would be hailed with much satisfaction at home, yet his habit of
turning to his mother for sympathy would have been too much for his
prudence, but for the fact that Terry De Lancey had dragged into her
room a massive volume of prints from the Uffizi Gallery, and was
looking it over with her, with a zest she had not seen since the
days when her father gloried in his collection.

His victory could only be confided to Charlie, who might laugh, but
fully appreciated the repose of mind with which he could now
encounter the examiners, and promised to do his part to cover the
meetings of the lovers the next day. But even then the chances of
another performance on the lake, or of a walk among the icicles
afterwards, were departing. Thaw was setting in and by breakfast-
time there was a down-pouring rain. Frank lingered about Cecil in
hopes of a message to serve as an excuse for a rush to Sirenwood;
but she proved to be going to drive to the working-room, and then to
lunch at Mrs. Duncombe's, to meet the Americans and the ladies from
Sirenwood, according to a note sent over in early morning at first
sight of the wet.

Thereupon Frank found he had a last reference to make to his tutor,
and begged for a lift. A touch of warmth in Cecil would have opened
the flood-gates of his confidence, but she was exercised about a
mistake in the accounts, and claimed his aid in tracking a defective
seven-pence. When she heard him utter the monstrous statement that
a hundred and five farthings were almost nine shillings, she looked
at him with withering compassion, as sure to fail, and a small loss
to Her Majesty; nor would she listen to any of his hi