e
in the West-end, or a flat, at all events. I shall entertain a good
deal--and think of your opportunities! My dear boy, I assure you that,
with personal advantages such as yours, you might end by marrying an
heiress. Nothing more probable! And you can talk of such a girl as Fanny
French--for shame!

'I mustn't propose any gaieties just now,' she said, when they had been
together for an hour. 'And I shall wait so anxiously for news of your
father. If anything _did_ happen, what would your sister do, I wonder?'

'I'm sure I don't know--except that she'd get away from Camberwell.
Nancy hates it.'

'Who knows? I may be able to be of use to her. But, you say she is such
a grave and learned young lady? I am afraid we should bore each other.'

To this, Horace could venture only an uncertain reply. He had not much
hope of mutual understanding between his sister and Mrs. Damerel.

At half-past five he was home again, and there followed a cheerless
evening. Nancy was in her own room until nine o'clock. She came down
for supper, but had no appetite; her eyes showed redness from weeping;
Horace could say nothing for her comfort. After the meal, they went up
together to the drawing-room, and sat unoccupied.

'If we lose father,' said Nancy, in a dull voice very unlike her
ordinary tones, 'we shall have not a single relative left, that is
anything to us.'

Her brother kept silence.

'Has Mrs. Damerel,' she continued, 'ever said anything to you about
mother's family?'

After hesitation, Horace answered, 'Yes,' and his countenance showed
that the affirmative had special meaning. Nancy waited with an inquiring
look.

'I haven't told you,' he added, 'because--we have had other things to
think about. But Mrs. Damerel is mother's sister, our aunt.'

'How long have you known that?'

'She told me at Scarborough.'

'But why didn't she tell you so at first?'

'That's what I can't understand. She says she was afraid I might mention
it; but I don't believe that's the real reason.'

Nancy's questioning elicited all that was to be learnt from her brother,
little more than she had heard already; the same story of a disagreement
between Mrs. Damerel and their father, of long absences from England,
and a revival of interest in her relatives, following upon Mrs.
Damerel's widowhood.

'She would be glad to see you, if you liked. But I doubt whether you
would get on very well.'

'Why?'

'She doesn't care about the same things