g, at which she was so
clever. Perhaps Nan's head was really aching, perhaps the morning's
excitement had brought on an attack of neuralgia, but whatever her
ailment, she certainly made the worst of it, groaning and rolling her
eyes to the ceiling as one in mortal agony; for she was wise enough to
realise that nothing would take Maud so much out of herself as the
necessity of waiting upon another.

When Mrs Rendell entered the room, and recognised the odours of eau-de-
Cologne, menthol, and sal volatile, her first thought was of poor
brokenhearted Maud; but, behold! it was Maud who was playing doctor, and
buxom Nan who lay prone upon the bed.

A few inquiries and expressions of sympathy were spoken, and then a
gesture bade Maud follow into another room. She went, shrinking from
the ordeal, yet longing to have it over, and for a few minutes mother
and daughter gazed at one another in silence. The girl's face was grave
and set, but self-composed in comparison with that of Mrs Rendell,
which was quivering with distress.

"My dear child! What can I say to you? I can never forgive myself for
my part in this disappointment. I should not have spoken as I did the
other day, but I thought at the time that it was the right thing to do,
and I had no doubts on the subject. What can I do to help you, dear,
through this difficult time?"

"Speak as little as possible about it, mother, please," said Maud
softly. She pressed her lips together, wincing with pain, and Mrs
Rendell's eyes flashed a look of approval in reply.

Of Spartan bravery herself, it delighted her to see her daughter bracing
herself up to bear her trouble without useless outcry and repining.

"I quite agree, darling," she said warmly. "After to-day we will never
mention the subject; but there are one or two things which must be said
first. To begin with, Ned has no suspicion of our mistake. I took care
of that; and it may help you to know that, after all, we were not so
very far from the truth. He spoke quite openly, and it seems that for
the first two or three years you were the attraction! He said he had
been sincerely attached to you, but that he saw you regarded him simply
as a friend. Then Lilias came home, with her more demonstrative ways;
he turned to her for comfort, and now,"--She stopped with a little
eloquent gesture, while Maud gave a groan of pain.

"Oh, mother, that is hard--to think that it came so near, and that I
spoiled my life