and spent all his estate, that
I should have had, and there was nothing left for me. That was a
trouble, I suppose?"

"If you had plenty beside, I should not think it was."

"`Plenty beside!' Phoebe, you are the silliest creature! Why, don't
you see that I should have been a great fortune, if I had had Peveril as
well as White-Ladies? I should have set my cap at a lord, I can tell
you. Only think, Phoebe, I should have had sixty thousand pounds. What
do you say to that? Sixty thousand pounds!"

"I should think it is more than you could ever spend."

"Oh, I don't know about that," said Rhoda. "When White-Ladies is mine,
I shall have a riding-horse and a glass coach; and I will have a
splendid set of diamonds, and pearls too. They cost something, I can
tell you. Oh, 'tis easy spending money. You'll see, when it comes to
me."

"Are you sure it will come to you?"

"Why, of course it will!" exclaimed Rhoda, sitting up, and leaning on
her elbow. "To whom else would Madam leave it, I should like to know!
Why, you never expect her to give it to _you_, poor little white-faced
thing? I vow, but that is a good jest!"

Rhoda's laugh had more bitterness than mirth in it. Phoebe's smile was
one of more unmixed amusement.

"Pray make yourself easy," said Phoebe. "I never expect anything, and
then I am not disappointed."

"Well, I'll just tell you what!" rejoined her cousin. "If I catch you
making up to Madam, trying to please all her whims, and chime in with
her vapours, and that--fancying she'll leave you White-Ladies--I tell
you, Phoebe Latrobe, I'll never forgive you as long as I live! There!"

Rhoda was very nearly, if not quite, in a passion. Phoebe turned and
looked at her.

"Cousin," she said, gently, "you will see me try to please Madam, since
'tis my duty: but if you suppose 'tis with any further object, such as
what she might give me, you very ill know Phoebe Latrobe."

"Well, mind your business!" said Rhoda, rather fiercely.

A few minutes later she was asleep. But sleep did not visit Phoebe's
eyes that night.

When the morning came, Rhoda seemed quite to have forgotten her
vexation. She chattered away while she was dressing, on various topics,
but chiefly respecting the new clothes which Madam had promised to
Phoebe. If words might be considered a criterion, Rhoda appeared to
take far more interest in these than Phoebe herself.

Breakfast was a solemn and silent ceremony. When it w