he
would do all that he desired as far as it was in her power. She was
anxious that he should marry Lady Mary Palliser, though so anxious
also that something of his love should remain with herself! She was
quite willing to convey that message,--if it might be done without
offence to the Duke. She was there with the object of ingratiating
herself with the Duke. She must not impede her favour with the Duke
by making herself the medium of any secret communications between
Mary and her lover.

But how should she serve Tregear without risk of offending the Duke?
She read the letter again and again, and thinking it to be a good
letter she determined to show it to the Duke.

"Mr. Tregear has got in at Polpenno," she said on the day on which
she and the Duke had received their letters.

"So I hear from Silverbridge."

"It will be a good thing for him, I suppose."

"I do not know," said the Duke coldly.

"He is my cousin, and I have always been interested in his welfare."

"That is natural."

"And a seat in Parliament will give him something to do."

"Certainly it ought," said the Duke.

"I do not think that he is an idle man." To this the Duke made no
answer. He did not wish to be made to talk about Tregear. "May I
tell you why I say all this?" she asked softly, pressing her hand on
the Duke's arm ever so gently. To this the Duke assented, but still
coldly. "Because I want to know what I ought to do. Would you mind
reading that letter? Of course you will remember that Frank and I
have been brought up almost as brother and sister."

The Duke took the letter in his hand and did read it, very slowly.
"What he says about young men without means going into Parliament
is true enough." This was not encouraging, but as the Duke went on
reading, Mabel did not think it necessary to argue the matter. He had
to read the last paragraph twice before he understood it. He did read
it twice, and then folding the letter very slowly gave it back to his
companion.

"What ought I to do?" asked Lady Mabel.

"As you and I, my dear, are friends, I think that any carrying of a
message to Mary would be breaking confidence. I think that you should
not speak to Mary about Mr. Tregear." Then he changed the subject.
Lady Mabel of course understood that after that she could not say a
word to Mary about the election at Polpenno.

CHAPTER LVII

The Meeting at "The Bobtailed Fox"

It was now the middle of December, and matters were