You don't know that
way of hers--of theirs, I suppose it is, bother them! She's treating
everybody and everything as if they didn't exist."

"She'll go back to Blent, I suppose?"

"Well, she must. Somebody must have it."

"If it's going begging, call on me," said the Major equably. He was in a
better humor with the world than he had been for a long while; his
connection with Iver promised well. But Mina sniffed scornfully; she was
in no mood for idle jests.

Cecily had been told about the scheme and its lamentable end. Her
attitude was one of entire unconcern. What was it to her if Harry were
made a viscount, a duke, or the Pope? What was anything to her? She was
going back to her father at Blent. The only animation she displayed was
in resenting the reminder, and indeed denying the fact, that she had
ever been other than absolutely happy and contented at Blent. Mina
pressed the point, and Cecily then declared that now at any rate her
conscience was at rest. She had tried to do what was right--at what
sacrifice Mina knew; the reception of her offer Mina knew. Now perhaps
Mina could sympathize with her, and could understand the sort of way in
which Cousin Harry received attempts to help him. On this point they
drew together again.

"You must come back to Merrion, dear," urged Cecily.

Mina, who never meant to do anything else, embraced her friend and
affectionately consented. It is always pleasant to do on entreaty what
we might be driven to do unasked.

Good-by had to be said to Lady Evenswood. That lady was very cheerful
about Harry; she was, hardly with any disguise, an admirer of his
conduct, and said that undoubtedly he had made a very favorable
impression on Robert. She seemed to make little of the desperate
condition of affairs as regarded Cecily. She was thinking of Harry's
career, and that seemed to her very promising. "Whatever he tries I
think he'll succeed in," she said. That was not enough for Mina; he must
try Mina's things--those she had set her heart on--before she could be
content. "But you never brought Cecily to see me," Lady Evenswood
complained. "And I'm just going away now."

That was it, Mina decided. Lady Evenswood had not seen Cecily. She had
approached the Tristram puzzle from one side only, and had perceived but
one aspect of it. She did not understand that it was complex and
double-headed; it was neither Harry nor Cecily, but Harry and Cecily.
Mina had been in that state of mind befo