xtraordinary change in me?" Stella asked, with a faint
smile.

Instead of answering, Mrs. Eyrecourt put her arm round Stella with a
loving gentleness, entirely at variance with any ordinary expression
of her character. The worldly mother's eyes rested with a lingering
tenderness on the daughter's face. "Stella!" she said softly--and
stopped, at a loss for words for the first time in her life.

After a while, she began again. "Yes; I see a change in you," she
whispered--"an interesting change which tells me something. Can you
guess what it is?"

Stella's color rose brightly, and faded again.

She laid her head in silence on her mother's bosom. Worldly, frivolous,
self-interested, Mrs. Eyrecourt's nature was the nature of a woman--and
the one great trial and triumph of a woman's life, appealing to her as a
trial and a triumph soon to come to her own child, touched fibers under
the hardened surface of her heart which were still unprofaned. "My poor
darling," she said, "have you told the good news to your husband?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"He doesn't care, now, for anything that I can tell him."

"Nonsense, Stella! You may win him back to you by a word--and do you
hesitate to say the word? _I_ shall tell him!"

Stella suddenly drew herself away from her mother's caressing arm. "If
you do," she cried, "no words can say how inconsiderate and how cruel I
shall think you. Promise--on your word of honor--promise you will leave
it to me!"

"Will you tell him, yourself--if I leave it to you?"

"Yes--at my own time. Promise!"

"Hush, hush! don't excite yourself, my love; I promise. Give me a kiss.
I declare I am agitated myself!" she exclaimed, falling back into her
customary manner. "Such a shock to my vanity, Stella--the prospect of
becoming a grandmother! I really must ring for Matilda, and take a few
drops of red lavender. Be advised by me, my poor dear, and we will
turn the priest out of the house yet. When Romayne comes back from his
ridiculous Retreat--after his fasting and flagellation, and Heaven knows
what besides--_then_ bring him to his senses; then is the time to tell
him. Will you think of it?"

"Yes; I will think of it."

"And one word more, before Matilda comes in. Remember the vast
importance of having a male heir to Vange Abbey. On these occasions you
may practice with perfect impunity on the ignorance of the men. Tell him
you're sure it's going to be a boy!"

CHAPTER II.

THE SEED IS SOWN.