epared
to make myself miserable for ever because I have made a mistake as to
a man's character. Of course I shall suffer,--because I love him. He
will not suffer much,--because he does not love me."

"Oh, yes!"

"You know that he does not," said Cecilia, shaking her head. "You
know it. You know it. At any rate I know it. And as the thing has to
be done, it shall be done quickly." There was much more said between
the two girls on the subject, but Maude when she left her friend was
sure that her friend was in earnest.

CHAPTER II.

SIR FRANCIS GERALDINE.

On that same afternoon, at about tea time, Sir Francis came up to the
house. He had said that he would be there if he could get there,--and
he got there. He was shown into the drawing-room, where was sitting
Mrs. Holt with her daughter, and began to tell them that he was to
leave the Deanery on the following morning and not be back till a
day or two before his marriage. "Where are you going?" Cecilia asked,
meaning nothing, only gaining time till she should have determined
how she should carry out her purpose.

"Well;--if you must know, I am going to Goodwood. I had not thought
of it. But some friends have reminded me that as these are to be the
last days of my liberty I may as well enjoy them."

"Your friends are very complaisant to me," said Cecilia in a tone of
voice which seemed to imply that she took it all in earnest.

"One's friends never do care a straw for the young lady on such an
occasion," said Sir Francis. "They regard her as the conquering
enemy, and him as the conquered victim."

"And you desire a little relaxation from your fetters."

"Well; just a last flutter." All this had been said with such a
mixture of indifferent badinage on his part, and of serious anger
on hers, that Mrs. Holt, who saw it all and understood it, sat very
uneasy in her chair. "To tell the truth," continued he, "all the
instructions have been given to the lawyers, and I really do think
that I had better be away during the making of the dresses and the
baking of the cake. It has come to pass by this accident of my living
at the Deanery that we have already become almost tired of each
other's company."

"You might speak for yourself, Sir Francis Geraldine."

"So I do. For to tell the truth, a man does get tired of this kind of
thing quicker than a woman, and a man of forty much quicker than a
woman of twenty. At any rate I'm off to-morrow."

There was somethi