ould ever nurse Reginald Stanford's child! How
odd!" said Rose, languidly.

The colour rushed into Mrs. Frank Danton's face for a second or two, as
she stooped over the baby.

"Strange things happen in this world. I shall be very fond of the baby,
I know."

"And Grace, whom you disliked so much, is your mother and sister both
together. How very queer!"

Kate laughed.

"It is odd, but quite true. Come, take your things off; you are not to
leave us again. We will send to your lodgings for your luggage."

"How long have you been married?" asked Rose, as she obeyed.

"Three weeks; and this is our bridal tour. We depart for Paris in two
days. You know Frank has had a fortune."

"I don't know anything. Do tell me all about it--your marriage and
everything. I am dying of curiosity."

Mrs. Doctor Danton seated herself in a low chair, with Reginald
Stanford's first-born in her lap, and began recapitulating as much of
the past as was necessary to enlighten Mrs. Stanford.

"So he saved Eeny's life; and you nursed him, and fell in love with him,
and married him, and his old uncle dies and leaves him a fortune in the
nick of time. It sounds like a fairy tale; you ought to finish
with--'and they lived happy forever after!'"

"Please Heaven, we will! Such real-life romance happens every day,
sister mine. Oh, by-the-by, guess who was at our wedding?"

"Who?"

"A very old friend of yours, my dear--Monsieur Jules La Touche."

"No! Was he, though? How did you come to invite him?"

"He chanced to be in the neighbourhood at the time. Do you know, Rose, I
should not be surprised if he accomplished his destiny yet, and became
papa's son-in-law."

Rose looked up, breathlessly, thinking only of herself.

"Impossible, Kate!--What do you mean?"

"Not at all impossible, I assure you. Eeny was my bride-maid, and you
have no idea how pretty she looked; and so Monsieur La Touche seemed to
think, by the very marked attention he paid her. It would be an
excellent thing for her; he is in a fair way of becoming a millionaire."

A pang of the bitterest envy and mortification she had ever felt,
pierced Rose Stanford's heart. Oh! what a miserable--what an unfortunate
creature she had been! She turned away, that her sister might not see
her face, and Kate carelessly went on.

"Eeny always liked him, I know. She likes him better than ever now. I
shall not be at all surprised if we find her engaged when we go home."

"Indeed!" Rose s