er, because I refuse my consent to your consummating your
own disgrace."

"My disgrace? Take care, mother!"

"Do you dare speak in that tone to me?" She rose up from the table,
livid with passion. "I repeat it, Sir Everard Kingsland--your
disgrace! Mystery shrouds this girl's birth and her father's
marriage--if he ever was married--and where there is mystery there is
guilt."

"A sweeping assertion!" the baronet said, with concentrated scorn; "but
in the present instance, my good mother, a little out of place. The
mystery is of your own making. The late Mrs. Harold Hunsden was a
native of New York. There she was married--there she died at her
daughter's birth. Captain Hunsden cherishes her memory all too deeply
to make it the town talk, hence all the county is up agape inventing
slander. I hope you are satisfied?"

Lady Kingsland stood still, gazing at him in surprise.

"Who told you all this?" she asked.

"She who had the best right to know--the slandered woman's daughter."

"Indeed--indeed!" slowly and searchingly. "You have been talking to
her, then? And your whole heart is really set on this matter, Everard?"

She came a step nearer; her voice softened; she laid one slender hand,
with infinite tenderness, on his shoulder.

"What does it matter?" he retorted, impatiently. "For Heaven's sake,
let me alone, mother!"

"My boy, if you really love this wild girl so much, if your whole heart
is set on her, I must withdraw my objections. I can refuse my darling
nothing. Woo Harriet Hunsden, wed her, and bring her here. I will try
and receive her kindly for your sake."

Sir Everard Kingsland shook off the fair, white, caressing hand, and
rose to his feet, with a harsh, strident laugh. "You are very good, my
mother, but it is a little too late. Miss Hunsden did me the honor to
refuse me yesterday."

"Refuse you?"

"Even so--incredible as it sounds! You see this little barbarian is
not so keenly alive to the magnificent honor of an alliance with the
house of Kingsland as some others are, and she said No plumply when I
asked her to be my wife."

Again that harsh, jarring laugh rang out, and with the last word he
strode from the room, closing the door with an emphatic bang.

Lady Kingsland sunk down in the nearest chair, perfectly overcome.
Sybilla Silver raised her tea-cup, and hid a malicious smile there.

"Refused him!" my lady murmured, helplessly. "Mildred, did you hear
what he said?"