marriage, with such a disparity in years between a man of Mr.
Rockharrt's venerable age and Mrs. Stillwater's blooming youth! I saw
her once by chance. She looked a perfect Hebe of radiant health and
beauty."

Cora Rothsay smiled. She might have told this little lady that there was
not much more difference between the ages of Rose Stillwater at
thirty-seven and Aaron Rockharrt at seventy-seven than there was between
Violet Wood at seventeen and Fabian Rockharrt at fifty-two. But as the
young wife did not see this fact, Cora refrained from showing it to her.

Then Violet wanted to know what Cora herself thought of the marriage.

Cora said she thought it concerned only the parties in question, and
only time could tell how it would turn out.

In such confidential talk passed the long summer day.

In the cool of the evening Mr. Fabian came home to dinner.

He joined his wife in trying to persuade Cora to remain with them yet
another day; but Cora explained that there were many reasons for her
return to Rockhold.

Finding her obdurate, Mr. Fabian ordered Mrs. Rothsay's landau to be at
the door at a certain hour.

And as soon as dinner was over and Cora had put on her bonnet and taken
leave of Violet, with a promise to return within a few days, Mr. Fabian
placed her in the Carriage, took his seat beside her, and drove down
the wooded hill to the river road below.

"It is not altogether for pleasure that I pressed you to stay till
to-night, Cora, although your presence gave great pleasure to my wife
and self. I wished to have a private talk with you. Cora, you ought not
to stay at Rockhold. You should come to us," said Mr. Fabian, as they
bowled along the wooded road between the foot of the hills and the banks
of the river.

"Why?" inquired the lady.

He did not answer at once, but drove slowly on as if to gain time for
thought. At length, however, he said:

"I think that a home with Violet and myself at the Banks would be much
more congenial to you than one with your grandfather and his new wife at
Rockhold."

"But, my dear Uncle Fabian, under present circumstances my grandfather
is my natural protector and Rockhold my proper home until my brother has
one to offer me."

"Cora, you are not frank with me. I know how you feel about staying at
Rockhold, and also why you feel as you do; though I do not see by what
agency or intuition you could have gained the knowledge you seem to
possess."

"Uncle Fabian, I h