Ayala," said Aunt Emmeline.

"Ayala has just been staying with her," said Lucy. "She has been very
kind to Ayala."

"We have nothing to do with that now," said Aunt Emmeline. "Ayala can
stay with whom she and her aunt pleases. Is this Mr. Hamel, whom you
saw, a friend of the Marchesa's?"

"He seemed to be a friend of the Marchesa's nephew," continued
Houston;--"one Colonel Stubbs. We used to see him at Rome, and a most
curious man he is. His name is Jonathan, and I don't suppose that any
man was ever seen so red before. He is shooting somewhere, and Hamel
seems to be going to join him. I thought he might have been coming
here afterwards, as you all were in Rome together."

"Certainly he is not coming here," said Aunt Emmeline. "And as for
Colonel Stubbs, I never heard of him before."

A week of the time allotted to Frank Houston had gone before he had
repeated a word of his suit to Sir Thomas. But with Gertrude every
opportunity had been allowed him, and by the rest of the family they
had been regarded as though they were engaged. Mr. Traffick, who was
now at Glenbogie, in accordance with the compact made with him, did
not at first approve of Frank Houston. He had insinuated to Lady
Tringle, and had said very plainly to Augusta, that he regarded a
young man, without any employment and without any income, as being
quite unfit to marry. "If he had a seat in the House it would be
quite a different thing," he had said to Augusta. But his wife had
snubbed him; telling him, almost in so many words, that if Gertrude
was determined to have her way in opposition to her father she
certainly would not be deterred by her brother-in-law. "It's nothing
to me," Mr. Traffick had then said; "the money won't come out of my
pocket; but when a man has nothing else to do he is sure to spend all
that he can lay his hands upon." After that, however, he withdrew
his opposition, and allowed it to be supposed that he was ready to
receive Frank Houston as his brother-in-law, should it be so decided.

The time was running by both with Houston, the expectant son-in-law,
and with Mr. Traffick, who had achieved his position, and both were
aware that no grace would be allowed to them beyond that which had
been promised. Frank had fully considered the matter, and was quite
resolved that it would be unmanly in him to run after his cousin
Imogene, in the Tyrol, before he had performed his business. One
day, therefore, after having returned from th