succession of of
engagements with the man she half liked, half dreaded.

"Far off!" echoed Mrs. Needham. "You don't call ten days far off? But I
must run away and finish my letter. A journalist is the slave of her
pen. Good morning, Lord de Burgh. I'll send the boys to you, Katherine."

"That is an admirable and meritorious woman," and De Burgh, drawing a
chair beside the sofa where Katherine sat. "Why are you so savagely
opposed to anything like friendly intercourse with me--so reluctant to
let me do anything for you? Do you think I am such a cad as to think
that _anything_ I could do would entitle me to consider you under an
obligation?"

"No, indeed, Lord de Burgh! I believe you to be too true a gentleman
for--"

"For what? I see you are afraid of giving me what is called, in the
slang of the matrimonial market, encouragement. Just put all that out of
your mind, Let me have a little enjoyment, however things may end, and,
believe me, I'll never blame you. I am not going to trouble you with my
hopes and wishes, not at least for some time; and then, whatever the
upshot, on my head be it."

"But I cannot bear to give you pain."

"Then don't--"

"Auntie, we are quite clean. Won't you come back to tea at Miss Payne's?
Do make her come, Lord de Burgh."

"Ah, it is beyond my powers to make her do anything."

"I cannot come now, my darlings; but I will be with you about half past
six, and we'll have a game before you go to bed."

"Come along, boys; we have intruded on your aunt long enough. Don't
forget the circus on Friday, Miss Liddell."

Another hug from Cis and Charlie, a slight hand pressure from their
newly found playfellow, and Katherine was left to her own reflections.

The expedition to the circus was most successful. It was on his way from
Wilton Street to call for Katherine, on this occasion, that De Burgh
encountered Mrs. Ormonde. Need we say that she lost no time in making
the proposed call on her sister-in-law; unfortunately Katherine was out;
so Mrs. Ormonde was reduced to writing a requisition for an interview
with her boys and their aunt.

This was accordingly planned at Miss Payne's house, and Mrs. Ormonde was
quite charming, playful, affectionate, tearful, repentant, apologetic
for "Ormonde," and deeply moved at parting from her boys, who where
somewhat awed by this display of feeling. Still she did not succeed in
breaking the "cold chain of silence" which Katherine persisted in
"hanging