ous_."

"Conspicuous? By Jove!" said Hawbury, who seemed struck by the idea.
At that moment Minnie began talking to her sister, and Hawbury went
off to Ethel, to whom he began talking in the most earnest manner. The
two wandered off for some distance, and did not return for a full half
hour. When they did return Ethel looked somewhat embarrassed, and
Hawbury was radiant. With this radiance on his face he went up to Mrs.
Willoughby, leaving Ethel in the background.

"Oh, by-the-way," said he, "you were remarking that your sister would
be too conspicuous by such a hasty marriage."

"Yes," said Mrs. Willoughby, anxiously.

"Well, I thought I would tell you that she needn't be so _very_
conspicuous; for, in fact--that is, you know, Ethel and I--she told
you, I suppose, about our mistake?"

"Oh yes."

"And I think I've persuaded her to save Minnie from being too
conspicuous."

Mrs. Willoughby gave Hawbury a look of astonishment and reproach.

"You!" she cried; "and Ethel!"

"Why, I'm sure, we're the very ones you might expect it from. Think
how infernally we've been humbugged by fate."

"Fate!" said Mrs. Willoughby. "It was all your own fault. She was
chosen for you."

"Chosen for me? What do you mean?"

"By your mother."

"My mother?"

"Yes."

"She said one of Biggs's nieces."

"Ethel is that niece."

"The devil!" cried Hawbury. "I beg pardon. By Jove!"

Hawbury, overwhelmed by this, went back to Ethel, and they wandered
off once more. The Baron had already wandered off with Minnie in
another direction. Tozer and the priest had gone to survey the house.

Seeing Mrs. Willoughby thus left alone, Dacres drifted up to her. He
came up silently.

"Kitty," said he, in a low voice, "you seem sad."

By which familiar address it will be seen that Dacres had made some
progress toward intimacy with her.

Mrs. Willoughby did not seem at all offended at this, but looked up
with one of her frankest smiles, and the clouds of perplexity passed
away. She was an exceedingly pretty woman, and she was certainly not
over twenty-four.

"I'm so worried," she said, plaintively.

"What's the matter?" asked Dacres, in a tone of the deepest and
tenderest sympathy.

"Why, these horrid men; and, what's worse, Lord Hawbury is actually
encouraging Mr.--the--the Baron; and I'm _so_ worried. Oh dear!"

"But why should you be worried?"

"It's so horrid. It's shocking. It's not to be thought of."

"But why not?" asked D