aid Marcella, merrily. "They've come down to
settle here. They're going to help me."

"Then for mercy's sake keep them to yourself," cried Frank, "and don't
let them go loose over the county. We don't want them at our place."

"Oh! your turn will come. Lord Maxwell"--her tone changed--became shy
and a little grave. "Shall we go into the Stone Parlour? My mother will
come down if you wish to see her, but she thought that--that--perhaps we
could settle things."

Aldous had been standing by, hat in hand, watching her as she chattered
to Frank. As she addressed him he gave a little start.

"Oh! I think we can settle everything," he said.

"Well, this is rum!" said Frank to himself, as the door closed behind
them, and instead of betaking himself to the chair and the newspaper
with which Marcella had provided him, he began to walk excitedly up and
down. "Her father makes him executor--he manages her property for
her--and they behave nicely to each other, as though nothing had ever
happened at all. What the deuce does it mean? And all the time
Betty--why, Betty's devoted to him!--and it's as plain as a pikestaff
what that old cat, Miss Raeburn, is thinking of from morning till night!
Well, I'm beat!"

And throwing himself down on a stool by the fire, his chin between his
hands, he stared dejectedly at the burning logs.

CHAPTER V.

Meanwhile Marcella and her companion were sitting in the Stone Parlour
side by side, save for a small table between them, which held the
various papers Aldous had brought with him. At first, there had been on
her side--as soon as they were alone--a feeling of stifling
embarrassment. All the painful, proud sensations with which she had
received the news of her father's action returned upon her; she would
have liked to escape; she shrank from what once more seemed an
encroachment, a situation as strange as it was embarrassing.

But his manner very soon made it impossible, indeed ridiculous, to
maintain such an attitude of mind. He ran through his business with his
usual clearness and rapidity. It was not complicated; her views proved
to be the same as his; and she was empowered to decide for her mother.
Aldous took notes of one or two of her wishes, left some papers with her
for her mother's signature, and then his work was practically done.
Nothing, throughout, could have been more reassuring or more everyday
than his demeanour.

Then, indeed, when the end of their business interv