you must cheer him up, and tell him what you have been learning."

"I haven't learnt much yet; it is so tiresome."

"Come, Mademoiselle Marie, you must not tease Miss Trant," said the
foreign-looking lady, whom Rachel recognized as one of the governesses
who sometimes escorted George Liddell's daughter "to be tried on."

"She does not tease me," returned Rachel, who had rather taken a fancy
to the child.

"Won't you come and see papa with me?" continued the little heiress. "I
wish you would, and he will tell you to make me another pretty frock--I
love pretty frocks."

"Not to-day; I must go home and make frocks for other people."

"Then I will bring him to see you--I will, I will; he does whatever I
like. Good-bye," springing up to kiss her. "I may come and see you
soon?"

"Whenever you like, my dear," said Rachel, feeling strangely comforted
by the child's warm kisses; and they parted, going in different
directions, to meet again soon.

Mrs. Needham had been sorely tried on that fatal day when De Burgh had
suddenly departed, after a comparatively short interval, and Katherine
had disappeared into the depths of her own room.

She had anticipated entertaining the bridegroom-elect at luncheon, and
had ordered lobster-cream and an _epigramme d'agneau a la Russe_ as
suitable delicacies; she expected confidential consultation and
delightful plans; she had even speculated on so managing that the double
event:--Angela Bradley's marriage with Errington and Katherine's with
Lord de Burgh,--might come off on the same day, even in the same church:
that would be a culmination of excitement! Now some mysterious blight
had fallen on all her schemes. What had happened? What could they have
quarrelled about? Then when Katherine emerged from her refuge she was
hopelessly mysterious; there was no penetrating the reserve in which she
wrapped herself.

"There is no one in whom I should more readily confide than in you, dear
Mrs. Needham, but a serious difference _has arisen_ between Lord de
Burgh and myself, respecting which I cannot speak to _anyone_. I regret
being obliged to keep it to myself, but I must."

"My dear, if you adopt that tone I have nothing more to say, but it is
horribly provoking and disappointing. I am quite sure people began to
expect it--that you would marry Lord de Burgh, I mean, and what a
position you have thrown away. You can't expect a man like him to be a
saint. There is no use trying men by our st