er sister was the object of all eyes
and thoughts; that she was gaining the triumph that men are agreed may
be desired by women without impropriety. Alice was a healthy-bodied
girl; her blood flowed as warm as in her sister. The men about her did
not correspond with her ideal, but this scarcely rendered the fact that
they neglected her less bitter. She asked Lady Sarah again if she might
go upstairs and see Cecilia.

She found the little cripple leaning over the banisters listening to the
sound of voices.

'Oh, my dear! Is it you? I expected you to come to see me when you left
the gentlemen in the dining-room.'

'I couldn't come before, dear,' said Alice, kissing her friend. 'Just as
I was asking Lady Sarah the way to your room, we heard them coming.'

'And how did you like the party? Which of the men did you think the
nicest?'

'I did not care for any of them; and oh, that odious Mr. Lynch!'

Cecilia's eyes flashed with a momentary gleam of satisfaction, and spoke
of a little excursion--a walk to the Brennans, who lived two miles
distant--that she had been planning for the last few days.

VII

The girls had given each other rendezvous at the gate of Dungory Castle.
Lover was never more anxious to meet mistress than this little deformed
girl to see her friend; and Alice could see her walking hurriedly up and
down the gravel-sweep in front of the massive grey-stone lodge.

'She will see me next time she turns,' thought Alice; and immediately
after Cecilia uttered a joyful cry and ran forward.

'Oh, so it is you, Alice! I am so glad! I thought you were going to
disappoint me.'

'And why, dear, did you think I was going to disappoint you?' said
Alice, stooping to kiss the wan, wistful face.

'I don't know--I can't say--but I fancied something would happen;' and
the great brown eyes began to melt with tears of delight. 'I had, you
know, set my heart on this walk with you.'

'I am sure the pleasure is as much mine as yours; and now, whither lies
our way?'

'Through the deer-park, through the oakwood, across the fields into the
highroad, and then you are at the gate,'

'Won't that be too far for you?'

'Oh, not at all! It is not more than a mile and a half; but for you, you
had to come another mile and a half. It is fully that from here to
Brookfield. But tell me, dear,' said Cecilia, clinging to her friend's
arm, 'why have you not been over to see me before? It is not kind of
you; we have been ho