that she herself might have made, in a worldly
sense, a better match than she had; and her ambition had, since
Bertha was a child, and still more since she had shown promise of
exceptional good looks, been centred on her making a really good
match.

Frank went up to town next day, and the Greendales followed him a
week later. They did not often meet him in society, as Frank seldom
went out; but he called occasionally in the old friendly and
unceremonious way. It would have required an acute observer to see
any difference in his manner to Bertha, but Lady Greendale noticed
it, and the girl herself felt that, although he was no less kind
and friendly, there was some impalpable change in his manner,
something that she felt, though she could not define it, even to
herself.

"Have you had a tiff with Major Mallett, Bertha?" Mrs. Wilson asked
one day, when she was alone with her in the drawing room.

Frank had just left, after spending an hour there.

"A tiff, Carrie? No! What put such an idea into your head?"

"My eyes, assisted perhaps by my ears. My dear, do you think that
after being with you on the yacht last autumn, I should not notice
any change in your manner to each other? I had expected before now
to have heard an interesting piece of news; and now I see that
things have gone wrong somehow."

"We are just as good friends as we always were," Bertha said,
shortly; "every bit."

"You don't mean to say that you have refused him, Bertha?"

"I don't mean to say anything of the sort. I simply say that Major
Mallett and I have always been great friends, and we are so now.
There is no one that I have a higher regard for."

"Well, Bertha, I do not want to know your secrets, if you do not
wish to tell me. All that I can say is that, if you have refused
him, you have done a very foolish thing. I don't know any man that
a woman might be happier with. When we were out last year with you,
Amy and I agreed that it was certain to come off, and thought how
well suited you were to each other. Of course, in worldly respects,
you might do better; just at present you have the ball at your
feet; but choose where you may you will not find a finer fellow
than he is. Yes, I told Harry that it was lucky that I had not made
that trip on board the Osprey before I was irrevocably captured,
for I should certainly have lost my heart to Major Mallett. Well, I
am sorry, Bertha, more sorry than I can say; and I am sure that Amy
will be,