ign of them to Ashley, with the
result that in her manner to him he saw only the endeavor. So he, in
turn, was piqued by the change in his lady. He was angry and annoyed,
and asked himself occasionally what right the Lady Barbara had to
change toward him when she and her Lord Farquhart were so absolutely
in his power. All of which strained, somewhat, the relations between
the Lady Barbara and Mr. Ashley.

To come to Lord Farquhart: he loved or thought he loved--he had loved
or had thought he loved Sylvia--Sylvia, the light o' love, one of the
pretty creatures on whom love's hand falls anything but lightly. To
his prejudiced eyes, the Lady Barbara, cold and colorless in the gloom
of Gordon's Court, had seemed quite lacking in all charm. But when he
had sauntered from her presence to that of Sylvia on the afternoon
when the jest of the highway robbery had been discussed, he found that
his curiosity, nay, his interest, had been aroused by the Lady
Barbara. He found that his unsophisticated cousin was not altogether
lacking in color and spirit, and Sylvia, for the first time, seemed
somewhat over blown, somewhat over full of vulgar life and gayety.
Later, that same night, when he saw the future Lady Farquhart dimpling
and glowing, the central star in a galaxy of London beaux, he wondered
if the Lady Barbara might not be worth the winning; he wondered if the
_mariage de convenance_ might not be transformed into the culmination
of a quick, romantic courtship. To win the Lady Barbara before the
Lady Barbara was his without the winning! Might not that be well worth
while?

To give just a passing word to Sylvia; for it was to Sylvia that the
main mischance was due. Sylvia saw that her reign was over, that she
had lost all hold on Lord Farquhart, and, in her own way, which, after
all, was a very definite and distinct way, poor Sylvia loved Lord
Farquhart.

For six days these conditions had been changing, with all their
attendant incidents and chances, and the time was ripe for a
mischance. Lord Farquhart, lounging in the park, hoping to meet the
Lady Barbara, even if it was only to be snubbed by the Lady Barbara,
saw that young lady at the end of a long line of trees with Mr.
Ashley. For Barbara had consented to walk with Mr. Ashley, partly so
that she might have the freedom of open air and sunshine in which to
express a belated opinion to Mr. Ashley concerning his new manner and
tone, and partly in hopes that she would encou