sed him.

"So the prince dismissed nearly all his servants; and in his house by
the forest Sylvina's father was more lonesome now than ever. Sylvina
had been a dutiful daughter, and she tried hard to be a dutiful wife;
but nothing that she did was properly construed by her old husband. If
she laughed and was gay, he called her giddy; if she seemed sad, he told
her she was pining for her 'pauper lover;' if she showed him marked
affection, he thought she was but cajoling to deceive him. Ah dear, ah
dear, how miserable she was! for her ways were not his ways, because his
age was not hers."

Richards paused again.

"And the poor lover whom Sylvina deserted?" said Gerty. "Tell me about
him. Did he pine and die?"

"Oh no. But here comes Flora. I'll finish the story another day, Gerty."

"Why, this _is_ a pleasure!" cried Flora. "Who could have thought of
finding you here? I say, Gerty, let us keep Mr. Richards to ourselves
alone for the rest of the evening. My work is all complete, and father
is busy in his room. Supper in the boudoir here!--Not a word, Mr.
Richards; you have no say in the matter at all." Then Flora rang the
bell.

And a long delightful three hours the girls and their friend spent too.
It is almost needless to say that the chief subject of conversation was
Jack, or that Sir Digby Auld was not spoken of or thought of even once.

"Heigh-ho!" said Richards, as he stood in his room that night,
"heigh-ho! and I have come down to break bad tidings to Flora and her
father. How ever can I do it! A lawyer ought to have no heart, but I
have one. Worse luck! worse luck!"

The party next day at the Hall was a very gay affair, and never did
General Grant Mackenzie seem in better spirits, nor Gerty and Flora look
more bewitching or feel more happy. Mr. Keane, too, unbent himself, and
was far less crisp and frigid than any one had ever seen him. Keane did
not perhaps look a bit more happy than he felt, though he would not have
told his thoughts to any one, as he wandered to and fro in the grand old
beautifully-lighted rooms or out into the spacious gardens and
flower-laden conservatories. Everything had of late years conspired to
play into his hands. He had amassed money; he had spent but little.
Gerty was good, _so_ good, for she had promised to marry Sir
Digby--promised her father, that is; the other promise would come. Then
this splendid hall was _his_--Keane's--unless in a short time the
easy-minded, happy-go-