large square hall, and even in the short transit between them Errington
felt instinctively that Miss Liddell shrank from him. The tips merely of
her black-gloved fingers rested on his arm, while she kept as far from
him as the length of her own permitted. At table her host was on her
right, and Lady Alice opposite, next to the rector, who was the only
invited guest; Errington was always expected, and had returned from a
distant canvassing expedition, for the present member for West Clayshire
was believed to be on the point of retiring on account of ill health,
and Mr. Errington of Garston Hall, intended to offer himself for
election to the free and independent.

He had had a fatiguing day, but scarcely admitted to himself how much
more restful a solitary dinner would have been, with a cigar and some
keen-edged article or luminous pamphlet in his own comfortable library
afterward, than making conversation at Colonel Ormonde's table. However,
to slight the lady who had promised to be his wife was impossible, so he
exerted himself to be agreeable.

The rector discussed some parish difficulties with his hostess, while
Colonel Ormonde, though profoundly occupied with his dinner, managed to
throw an observation from time to time to his young neighbors.

"Rode round by Brinkworth Heath in two hours and a half," he was saying
to Lady Alice, when Katherine listened. "That was fair going. I did not
think you would have got Mrs. Ormonde to start without an escort."

"We had an escort. Lord Francis Carew and Mr. De Burgh came over to
luncheon, and they rode with us."

"Ha, Errington! you see the result of leaving this fair lady's side all
unguarded! These fellows come and usurp your duties."

"Do you think I should wish Lady Alice to forego any amusement because I
am so unlucky as to be prevented from joining her?" returned Errington,
in a deep mellow voice.

Katherine looked across the table to see how Lady Alice took the remark,
but she was rearranging some geraniums and a spray of fern in her
waistband, and did not seem to hear. She was a slight colorless girl of
nineteen, with regular features, an unformed though rather graceful
figure, and a distinguished air.

Errington caught the expression of his neighbor's face as she glanced at
his _fiancee_, a sympathetic smile parting her lips. It was rarely that
a countenance had struck him so much, which was probably due to his odd
but strong impression that his new acquainta