ing West said, it is Mrs. Marston."

"That trash!" Grant's sharp cry expressed incredulity. "The man can't
have any sense! He's going to be sorry all the time if he gets her."

Then he knocked out his pipe, as if he were too indignant to smoke, and
went into the house.

CHAPTER XXXII

A REVELATION

It was a winter evening and Sylvia was standing near the hearth in Mrs.
Kettering's hall, where the lamps were burning, though a little pale
daylight still filtered through the drizzle outside. Sylvia was fond
of warmth and brightness, but she was alone except for Ethel West, who
sat writing at a table in a recess, although her hostess had other
guests, including a few men who were out shooting. After a while Ethel
looked up.

"Have you or Herbert heard anything from George during the last few
weeks?" she asked.

Sylvia turned languidly. Her thoughts had been fixed on Captain Bland,
whom she was expecting every moment. Indeed, she was anxious to get
rid of Ethel before he came in.

"No," she said with indifference. "I think his last letter came a
month ago. It was optimistic."

"They seem to have had a good harvest from what Edgar wrote; he hinted
that he might make a trip across."

"It's rather an expensive journey."

"That wouldn't trouble Edgar, and there's a reason for the visit. He
has made up his mind to start farming and wants to talk over his plans.
In fact, he thinks of getting married."

Sylvia showed some interest.

"To whom? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I only arrived this morning, and I wrote some time ago, asking if you
could meet Stephen and me. You were with the Graysons then, but you
didn't answer."

"I forgot; I don't always answer letters. But who is the girl? Not
Miss Grant?"

"Helen Taunton. Do you know her?"

Sylvia laughed.

"The storekeeper's daughter! She's passably good-looking and her
father's not badly off, but that's about all one could say for her."

"Do you know anything against the girl?"

"Oh, no!" said Sylvia languidly. "She's quite respectable--in fact,
they're rather a straight-laced people; and she doesn't talk badly.
For all that, I think you'll get a shock if Edgar brings her home."

"That is not George's opinion. We wrote to him."

Sylvia laughed.

"He would believe in anybody who looked innocent and pretty."

Ethel's expression hardened; Sylvia had not been considerate.

"I don't think that's true. He's generous, and thou