for once she was afraid of speaking out. Presently, however, a brighter
light came over the girl's face. "Why, I quite forgot," she said,
addressing Harry Trelyon--"I quite forgot that Wenna was just going up
to Trelyon Hall when I left. Of course she will be up there. You will be
able to tell her that Mr. Roscorla has arrived, won't you?"

The malice of this suggestion was so apparent that the young gentleman
in front could not help grinning at it: fortunately, his face could not
be seen by his rival. What _he_ thought of the whole arrangement
can only be imagined. And so, as it happened, Mr. Roscorla and his
friend Mabyn were dropped at the inn, while Harry Trelyon drove his
grandmother up and on to the Hall.

"Well, Harry," the old lady said, "I am glad to be able to breathe at
last: I thought you two were going to kill each other."

"There is no fear of that," the young man said: "that is not the way in
which this affair has to be settled. It is entirely a matter for her
decision; and look how everything is in his favor. I am not even allowed
to say a word to her; and even if I could, he is a deal cleverer than me
in argument. He would argue my head off in half an hour."

"But you don't turn a girl's heart round by argument, Harry. When a girl
has to choose between a young lover and an elderly one, it isn't always
good sense that directs her choice. Is Miss Wenna Rosewarne at all like
her sister?"

"She's not such a tomboy," he said, "but she is quite as straightforward
and proud, and quick to tell you what is the right thing to do. There's
no sort of shamming tolerated by these two girls. But then Wenna is
gentler and quieter, and more soft and lovable, than Mabyn--in my fancy,
you know; and she is more humorous and clever, so that she never gets
into those school-girl rages. But it is really a shame to compare them
like that; and, indeed, if any one said the least thing against one of
these girls, the other would precious soon make him regret the day he
was born. You don't catch me doing that with either of them. I've had a
warning already when I hinted that Mabyn might probably manage to keep
her husband in good order. And so she would, I believe, if the husband
were not of the right sort; but when she is really fond of anybody, she
becomes their slave out and out. There is nothing she wouldn't do for
her sister; and her sister thinks there's nobody in the world like
Mabyn. So you see--"

He stopped in the