ral's "latest" wherewith her sisters were willing to
regale their friends. Sue was dull as ditch-water and silent as the
grave where family affairs were concerned.

She was not ill-looking, nay, she was handsome, as were all the
Bolderos; and, curiously, she was better turned-out than the younger
ones, for she had the knack of suiting herself in her clothes, which
they had not,--but with it all, with her good appearance and respectable
air, she belonged to the ranks of the uninteresting, and the weight she
carried with her father was voted unaccountable.

No one, however, disputed it; and when the two withdrew together no one
followed.

"Well, what does Leo say?" demanded Maud, who with Sybil had been lying
in wait for their half-sister while the conversation above narrated was
going on in the library. "What a time you have been! You might have
known Syb and I were on thorns to hear what was in that great fat
letter? Where is she going to live? Or is she going to travel? And is
she going to invite one of us to go with her? If she does----"

"It ought to be me," struck in Sybil eagerly. "I am nearest her age, and
Leo and I were always pals. I shouldn't at all mind going with her."

"Which of us would? It would be splendid. Can't you speak?" to Sue. "You
are such a slow coach,--and surely you might have broken loose before,
when you knew we were waiting."

"You have been nearly an hour;" Sybil glanced at the clock.

"We thought you might have called us in," added Maud.

"Anyhow, do for heaven's sake let us have it out now," continued Sybil
impetuously. She had been giving little tweaks at the letter in her
sister's hand, and a faint apprehension crept into her accents as she
found it firmly withheld; "and don't look so owl-like. There is nothing
to be owl-like about, I suppose?"

Hitherto neither had noted Sue's expression; now for the first time they
simultaneously paused long enough to enable her to open her lips.

"I am afraid you will be disappointed," she said slowly. "I am so sorry
to tell you, but--but things are not as you suppose. Poor Godfrey----"
she paused.

"Poor Godfrey, well, poor Godfrey?"

Both exclaimed at once, and each alike made a movement of impatience.

"He had been very unfortunate of late. He had--speculated. He----"

"We don't care twopence about _him_, get on."

"He has been unable to leave Leonore----"

"Never mind what he has been _un_able to do--what has he been able?"

"H