the doctor
recommended a trip to some warmer climate. Unfortunately, however, his
business arrangements will not permit of a long stay. We only stop
here three weeks at most."

"I am sorry to hear that you are not well, Sir John."

"Oh! it is nothing very much," answered Lady Bellamy for him; "only he
requires care. What a lovely garden this is--is it not? By the way, I
forgot to inquire after the ladies who shared your tumble. I hope that
they were none the worse. I was much struck with one of them, the very
pretty person with the brown hair, whom you pulled out of the gutter."

"Oh, Mrs. Carr. Yes, she is pretty."

After breakfast, Arthur volunteered to take Lady Bellamy round the
garden, with the ulterior object of extracting some more information
about Angela. It must be remembered that he had no cause to mistrust
that lady, nor had he any knowledge of the events which had recently
happened in the neighbourhood of the Abbey House. He was therefore
perfectly frank with her.

"I suppose that you have heard of my engagement, Lady Bellamy?"

"Oh, yes, Mr. Heigham; it is quite a subject of conversation in the
Roxham neighbourhood. Angela Caresfoot is a sweet and very beautiful
girl, and I congratulate you much."

"You know, then, of its conditions?"

"Yes, I heard of them, and thought them ridiculous. Indeed I tried, at
Angela's suggestion, to do you a good turn with Philip Caresfoot, and
get him to modify them; but he would not. He is a curious man, Philip,
and, when he once gets a thing into his head, it is beyond the power
of most people to drive it out again. I suppose that you are spending
your year of probation here?"

"Well, yes--I am trying to get through the time in that way; but it is
slow work."

"I thought you seemed pretty happy yesterday," she answered, smiling.

Arthur blushed.

"Oh! yes, I may appear to be. But tell me all about Angela."

"I have really very little to tell. She seems to be living as usual,
and looks well. Her friend Mr. Fraser has come back. But I must be
going in; I have promised to go out walking with Sir John. _Au
revoir_, Mr. Heigham."

Left to himself, Arthur remembered that he also had an appointment to
keep--namely, to meet Mildred by the Cathedral steps, and go with her
to choose some Madeira jewellery, an undertaking which she did not
feel competent to carry out without his assistance.

When he reached the Cathedral, he found her rather cross at having
been ke