d took all that glittered for gold. Hence, her assurances
that Leam had really and truly put herself into (the appearance of)
actual danger to save Fina from drowning, while she herself had done
nothing more heroic than take the dripping pair of them home when all
was over--she forgot to add, sit in the carriage and scream--went for
nothing, and the popular delusion for all. She was still the
heroine of the day, and <ipalmam qui non meruit_ the motto which the
unconscious satirists bestowed on her.

She did not mean it to be so--quite the contrary--but wrong comes
about from good intentions to the full as often as from evil ones.
Her design was simply to be truthful, as so much conscientious
self-respect, in the first instance, and to do justice to Leam in
the second; but between her good-natured advocacy and Adelaide's
undisguised hostility maybe the former did Leam the most harm.

The child's past danger was quite sufficient reason why Josephine
should come more frequently than usual to Ford House. It was only
natural that she should wish to know how the little one went on. The
cold, sore throat, rheumatic fever, measles that never came, might
yet be always on the way, and the woman's fond fears were only to be
quieted by the comforting assurance of her daily observation. Leam
did get a cold, and a severe one, but then Leam was grown up and
could take care of herself. Fina was the natural charge of universal
womanhood, and no one who was a woman at all could fail to be
interested in such a pretty, caressing little creature. And then
Sebastian Dundas loved best the child which was not his own; and
that, too, had its weight with Josephine, who somehow seemed to
have forgotten by now that little Fina was madame's child--false and
faithless madame--and was not part and parcel of the man she loved,
as also in some strange sense her own. Madame's initial dedication had
touched her deeply both at the time and ever after; the likeness of
name was again another tie; and that subtle resemblance to herself
which every one saw and spoke of seemed to round off all into an
harmonious whole, and give her a right which even Mrs. Birkett did not
possess.

It was about a week after the accident when Josephine went one
morning, as usual, to ask after Fina, and be convinced by personal
inspection that the pretty little featherhead, the child of many
loves, was well. She was met in the drawing-room by Mr. Dundas, who
when he greeted h