mirers thronged around them. As
Beatrice said, with a deep-drawn sigh of perfect contentment, "This is
life"--and she reveled in it.

That same year the Earl of Airlie attained his majority, and became the
center of all fashionable interest. Whether he would marry and whom he
would be likely to marry were two questions that interested every
mother and daughter in Belgravia. There had not been such an eligible
parti for many years. The savings of a long minority alone amounted to
a splendid fortune.

The young earl had vast estates in Scotland. Lynnton Hall and Craig
Castle, two of the finest seats in England, were his. His mansion in
Belgravia was the envy of all who saw it.

Young, almost fabulously wealthy, singularly generous and amiable, the
young Earl of Airlie was the center of at least half a hundred of
matrimonial plots; but he was not easily managed. Mammas with blooming
daughters found him a difficult subject. He laughed, talked, danced,
walked, and rode, as society wished him to do; but no one had touched
his heart, or even his fancy. Lord Airlie was heart-whole, and there
seemed no prospect of his ever being anything else. Lady Constance
Tachbrook, the prettiest, daintiest coquette in London, brought all her
artillery of fascination into play, but without success. The beautiful
brunette, Flora Cranbourne, had laid a wager that, in the course of two
waltzes, she would extract three compliments from him, but she failed
in the attempt. Lord Airlie was pronounced incorrigible.

The fact was that his lordship had been sensibly brought up. He
intended to marry when he could find some one to love him for himself,
and not for his fortune. This ideal of all that was beautiful, noble,
and true in woman the earl was always searching for, but as yet had not
found.

On all sides he had heard of the beauty of Lord Earle's daughters, but
it did not interest him. He had been hearing of, seeing, and feeling
disappointed in beautiful women for some years. Many people made the
point of meeting the "new beauties," but he gave himself no particular
trouble. They were like every one else, he supposed.

One morning, having nothing else to do, Lord Airlie went to a fete
given in the beautiful grounds of Lady Downham. He went early,
intending to remain only a short time. He found but a few guests had
arrived. After paying the proper amount of homage to Lady Downham, the
young earl wandered off into the grou