ord out of him. All we know is we're cruel
busy and orders flow in like a river. But that was poor Mister Daniel's
work, no doubt."

"Marriage is in the air, seemingly," reflected Nelly. "It mightn't be
altogether a bad thing if you and me went to the altar together, Sarah.
'Twas always understood you'd be married from 'The Seven Stars,' and the
sight of a young bride and bridegroom would soften the ceremony a bit
and distract the eye from me and Richard."

"Good Lord!" answered the girl. "There won't be no eyes for small folks
like us on the day you take Mister Gurd. 'Twould be one expense without
a doubt; but I'm certain positive he wouldn't like for us little people
to be mixed up with it. 'Twould lessen the blaze from his point of view,
and a man such as him wouldn't approve of that."

"Perhaps you're right," admitted her aunt, with a massive sigh. "He's a
masterful piece, and the affair will be carried out as he wills."

"I can't see you away from 'The Seven Stars,' somehow, Aunt Nelly."

"That's what everybody says. More can't I see myself away for that
matter. But Richard said 'The Tiger' would swallow 'The Seven Stars,'
and I know what he meant now."

CHAPTER XXV

THE WOMAN'S DARKNESS

The blood of Sabina Dinnett was poisoned through an ordeal of her life
when it should have run at its purest and sweetest. That the man who had
promised to marry her, had exhausted the vocabulary of love for her,
should thus cast her off, struck her into a frantic calenture which, for
a season, threatened her existence. The surprise of his decision was not
absolute and utter, otherwise such a shock might indeed have killed her;
but there lacked not many previous signs to show that Raymond Ironsyde
had strayed from his old enthusiasm and found the approach of marriage
finally quench love. The wronged girl could look back and see a thousand
such warnings, while she remembered also a dark dread in her heart as to
what might possibly overtake her on the death of Daniel. True the shadow
had lasted but a moment; she banished it, as unworthy, and preferred to
dwell on the increased happiness and prosperity that must accrue to
Raymond; but the passing fear had touched her first, and she could look
back now and mark how deeply doubt tinctured all her waking hours since
the necessity arose for Raymond to wed.

For a few days she raged and was only comforted with difficulty. Mr.
Churchouse and Jenny Ironsyde both visited Sa