enno
people, and told her how Miss Tregear had been reassured by his
eloquence. He also read to her the Jawstock and Tifto correspondence,
and was complimented by her as to his prudence and foresight. "To
tell the truth I consulted Mr. Lupton," he said, not liking to take
credit for wisdom which had not been his own. Then they talked about
Grex, and Killancodlem, about Gerald and the shooting, about Mary's
love for Tregear, and about the work of the coming Session. On
all these subjects they were comfortable and confidential,--Miss
Boncassen's name never having been as yet so much as mentioned.

But still the real work was before her. She had not hoped to bring
him round to kneel once more at her feet by such gentle measures as
these. She had not dared to dream that he could in this way be taught
to forget the past autumn and all its charms. She knew well that
there was something very difficult before her. But, if that difficult
thing might be done at all, these were the preparations which must be
made for the doing of it.

It was arranged that she should leave Matching on Saturday, the first
day of the new year. Things had gone on in the manner described till
the Thursday had come. The Duke had been impatient but had restrained
himself. He had seen that they were much together and that they were
apparently friends. He too told himself that there were two more
days, and that before the end of those days everything might be
pleasantly settled!

It had become a matter of course that Silverbridge and Mabel should
walk together in the afternoon. He himself had felt that there was
danger in this,--not danger that he should be untrue to Isabel, but
that he should make others think that he was true to Mabel. But he
excused himself on the plea that he and Mabel had been intimate
friends,--were still intimate friends, and that she was going away
in a day or two. Mary, who watched it all, was sure that misery was
being prepared for someone. She was aware that by this time her
father was anxious to welcome Mabel as his daughter-in-law. She
strongly suspected that something had been said between her father
and her brother on the subject. But then she had Isabel Boncassen's
direct assurance that Silverbridge was engaged to her! Now when
Isabel's back was turned, Silverbridge and Mabel were always
together.

On the Thursday after lunch they were again out together. It had
become so much a habit that the walk repeated itself wit