he can be like at home!...

"I don't mean to be nasty;" repentance presently made itself felt; "and
it may only be that Maud and I don't hit it off; that when I'm in a
merry mood, she isn't, and _vice versa_--still," she shook her head
sagaciously, "I'm not sure--not quite sure. It is more noticeable than
it used to be. Even father gets snubbed and has to put up with it. Both
Sue and Syb utterly succumb.... To think that Maud should be the
one--though of course it is her looks--and besides, she herself let slip
that the Fosters had got her there on purpose. Paul had come home at a
loose end, desperately in need of a wife, and a home, and all the rest
of it. The whole thing is clear--the only mystery,--pooh! there's no
mystery....

"But it was luck for Maud," she mused on, "and I must say she
appreciates her luck, and means to get the uttermost farthing out of it.
How she revels in the idea of a grand wedding! And of course she will be
a lovely bride--but I wonder--I hope----" once more her hand strayed
towards the photograph, and she gazed at it long and searchingly, "I do
hope she will make this poor man happy."

Leo, however, had the wit to keep such speculations to herself. She was
only too conscious that she had not managed her own affairs so well as
to give her any claim to pry into those of others, and told herself she
was a little fool to keep on looking into Paul Foster's face and
thinking of him as a poor man.

Directly she saw the real face, it would certainly tell a different
tale. Maud breathed satisfaction over her lover's letters; obviously she
had no doubts of her empire over him, and even while graciously
accepting the encomiums passed by her belongings on her choice, let it
be seen that she by no means considered all the good fortune to be on
her side.

"Paul is deeply religious;" she announced once.

"God bless my soul!" ejaculated the general;--indeed there was a
universal start, for even Sue, the good, kind Sue, could hardly be
regarded as deeply religious. Every eye was bent on Maud.

"Indeed he is," proceeded she, calmly. "He made quite a mark in his
regiment, and received no end of testimonials, the Fosters told me.
They did not speak of it before him, but Caroline warned me--I mean told
me--privately."

"Took an interest in the schools and that sort of thing, eh? Quite
right, very proper;" General Boldero made an effort to recover himself.
"In my day it was quite the thing for the comma