proof that
she as well as he had been falsely dealt with, that he had been true
in every word and thought--what then? Could she endure to keep, after
that, the position of wife to the man who had so deceived and injured
two beings who had believed him? Assuredly she could not. What, then,
would be her alternative? To leave him and go back to the poor life
at home, which her mother's presence had justified and glorified, but
which without that presence, and with the contrast of her present
position in her mind, would be too intolerable a thought to
contemplate.

No, she had no sufficient reason to doubt the representations that
her husband had made to her. She would try to accept them more
implicitly for the future, and so fight against such disturbing
ideas. There were ample means of diversion within her reach. Her
sojourn abroad would soon begin, and she must fight against any
recurrence of her present mood of weakness.

If she was to win this fight, however, there was one precaution which
she felt that she must take. This was to avoid the very name of
Horace Spotswood, and, as far as might be possible, every thought of
him as well.

Her foreign travels began, and she then had the assurance that this
effort would not be difficult of accomplishment. There were a
thousand new issues for Bettina's interest and feelings in her
constantly changing surroundings, and these were sufficiently
absorbing to do away with lately disturbing considerations. The world
had still its powerful charm for Bettina, and she was now seeing the
world in a very fascinating aspect.

CHAPTER VII

As Bettina had found the London season delightful, and yet had been
quite content to see it close, and as the same had been true of her
experience, both as hostess and as guest, at the country-house
parties which had followed the season, so it was also with her
foreign travels, although she found much to interest and delight her
in the various cities which she visited with Lord Hurdly. He was
received with distinction everywhere--a fact partly due to his
prominent position in Parliament, and partly to his social importance
and the acknowledged beauty of his wife.

Bettina enjoyed it, certainly, and found it very helpful to her in
carrying out her resolve to banish the agitating thoughts which would
recur whenever she thought of Horace. She had managed to stop
thinking of him almost entirely, and to live only for the
satisfaction of each