angry, I grant you. But Ellsworth belongs to me,
so they will have to behave or leave; and I fancy they will choose the
former part. Now come with me to your aunt and cousins, and see how
cleverly I shall pay them out for their meanness. Don't tremble so, my
timid little love."

And taking her hand, he led her back to the house, to a long,
vine-wreathed veranda, where the three ladies were sitting together.

Mrs. Ellsworth had just told them of Love's betrothal to Dainty, and
they frowned when the happy lovers came among them hand in hand.

Love placed Dainty in a chair, then turned to his step-mother.

"Madame, Dainty has explained to my satisfaction the story you told me
just now. One of these notes was written to her, the second one to Miss
Craye, who will not deny that Vernon Ashley is her lover, and that
Dainty only acted the part of a friend in trying to reconcile the
estranged lovers."

If a bomb had exploded at her feet, Ela could not have been more
startled than at his bold charge.

She started, and paled to an ashen hue, flashing a malevolent look at
Dainty, and cried threateningly:

"How dared you tell?"

"It was true," the young girl answered, dauntlessly.

"I deny it!" muttered Ela; but every one could read her guilt in her
abashed face.

"How dare you tell such falsehoods on Ela?" stormed Mrs. Ellsworth to
Dainty; but her step-son frowned angrily.

"Madame, I will not permit such disrespect to my betrothed. This is my
roof, and every one beneath it shall respect her position. Let me add
that Vernon Ashley is staying at the station still, hoping that Miss
Craye will relent, and recall him to her side. If you need corroboration
of the truth, send for him here, and he will tell you how heartlessly
Miss Craye threw him over before she left Richmond," the young man
answered, indignantly; and Ela, unable to bear the fire of their
glances, rose, and hurried away to her room, while the others remained
silent, nursing bitter hatred to fever-heat in their hearts, the proud
Mrs. Ellsworth blaming Dainty most unjustly for her deserved
discomfiture, and registering a secret vow of deadly vengeance.

CHAPTER X.

"THE GRIM FATES."

"I know a maiden fair to see,
Take care!
She can both false and friendly be,
Beware! Beware!
Trust her not,
She is fooling thee!

"And she has hair of a golden hue,
Take care!
And what she says is not true,