le Clarence. Truth to tell, she had but little hope of help in this
affair from her younger uncle. Mr. Clarence was so far from thinking
evil of any one. He was so loath to give pain or have any disturbance in
the domestic circle. He would be sure to feel compassion for Rose
Stillwater. He would be sure to recall her pretty, helpful, pleasant
ways, and the comfort both his father and his mother used to take in her
playful manners and affectionate ministration. Mr. Clarence was much too
benevolent to wish to interfere with any arrangement that was likely to
make the house pleasant and cheerful to his aged father, and give a
comfortable home and support to a desolate young widow. And that the
Iron King should ever be seriously taken in by the beautiful and
bewitching creature he would never believe. Yet Cora knew from all past
experience that Rose Stillwater was more esteemed by old Aaron Rockharrt
and had more influence over him than any living creature. Strange that a
man so hard headed as the Iron King, and so clear brained on all
occasions when not blinded by his egotism, should allow himself to be so
deceived in any one as he was in Rose Stillwater.

But, then, she knew how to flatter this egotism. She was beautiful and
attractive in person, meek and submissive in manner, complimentary and
caressing in words and tones.

Cora asked herself whether it would be right, proper, or expedient for
her to give information of that secret interview between Mr. Fabian and
Mrs. Stillwater, to which she herself had been an accidental and most
unwilling witness, on that warm night in September, in the hotel parlor
at Baltimore.

She could not refer to it in her intended letter to her Uncle Fabian. To
do so would be useless and humiliating, if not very offensive. Her Uncle
Fabian knew much more about that interview than she could tell him, and
would be very much mortified and very indignant to learn that she knew
anything of it. He might accuse her of being a spy and an eavesdropper,
or he might deny and discredit her story altogether.

No. No good could come of referring to that interview in her letter to
her Uncle Fabian. She would merely mention to him the fact that Mrs.
Stillwater had written to Mr. Rockharrt an appealing letter declaring
herself to be widowed and destitute, and asking for advice and
assistance in procuring employment; and that he had replied by inviting
her to Rockhold for an indefinite period, and sent her