d benevolent legislator."

"He must be a good deal changed if he does. You have seen a great deal
of him, I believe, since he returned to London?"

"I have seen him several times. He seems to get on with Mrs. Needham."

"With Mrs. Needham?" repeated Errington, in a slightly mocking tone, and
elevating his eyebrows in a way that made Katherine blush for her
uncandid remark.

"Well, Mrs. Needham seems to have taken immensely to him."

"I can understand that. De Burgh has wherewithal now to recommend him to
most party-giving dowagers."

"That speech is not like you, Mr. Errington; you know my dear good chief
is utterly uninfluenced by worldly considerations. Lord de Burgh has
been very good and helpful to me with the boys, I assure you," said
Katherine, feeling that she changed color under Errington's watchful
eyes.

"Yes, I have no doubt he could be boundlessly kind where he wishes to
please--more, I think he _is_ a generous fellow; but--I am going to be
ill-natured," he said, with a slight change of tone, "and, as you have
allowed me the privilege of a friend, I must beg you to reflect that De
Burgh is a man of imperious temper, given to somewhat reckless seeking
of what he desires, and not too steady in his attachments. Though in
every sense a man of honor, and by no means without heart, yet I fear as
a companion he would be disturbing, if not----"

"Why do you warn me?" cried Katherine, growing somewhat pale. "And what
has poor Lord de Burgh done to earn your disapprobation?"

"I know I am somewhat Quixotic and unguarded in speaking thus to you;
but it would be affectation to say I did not perceive De Burgh's very
natural motive. There is much about him that is attractive to women,
apart from his exceptional fortune and position; but I doubt if he
could make a woman like you happy. If the ease and luxury he could
bestow ever prove tempting, I do not think that anything except sincere
affection would enable you to surmount the difficulty of dealing with a
character like his."

While Errington spoke with quiet but impressive earnestness, a perverse
spirit entered into Katherine Liddell. Here was this man, sailing
triumphantly on the crest of good fortune, about to ally himself to a
woman, good, certainly, and suited to him, but also rich enough to set
him above all care and money troubles, urging counsels of perfection on
_her_. Why was she to be advised to reject a man who certainly loved her
by one who only