r to send, but we'll
go; and oh, my darling, pray, pray try and look bright. You make me
wretched."

"I do--I will try, mamma!" exclaimed Tiny, suppressing a sob. "But tell
me, is Captain Vanleigh going to be here to-night?"

"I--I was obliged to send him an invitation, my darling," said Lady Rea,
pitifully. "Your papa stood at my side while I wrote it. If--if--he--
Mr Trevor had stood firm to you, they should have cut me in pieces
before I'd have done it; but as it is, what can I do?"

Tiny made no reply; and directly after luncheon the carriage came round,
and, being left at the corner of the narrow street, Lady Rea and her
daughter made their way on foot to the house of Mrs Jenkles.

Mrs Lane met them, and said it was her daughter's wish to see Miss Rea
alone, if she would condescend to go up and see her; and a minute after,
with a mist floating before her eyes, and a singing in her ears, Tiny
stood near Netta's couch, as the poor girl lay, with clasped fingers,
gazing up at the graceful, fashionably-dressed girl.

Tiny maintained a haughty silence for a few minutes. This was the girl
for whom she had been forsaken. She felt sure of it. How could it be
otherwise? But the letter said that she was dying. Fin had told her of
Pratt's assurances; and, as the mist cleared away, so melted the
hauteur, for she could not look upon the soft, sweet face before her
with anger; and if he loved her, should not she do the same? The two
girls gazed in each other's eyes for a few moments, and then, with a
smile, Netta held out one hand.

"Thank you for coming," she said. "I have wanted to see you for months,
and I was afraid I should not live long enough. Do you know why?"

"No--I cannot tell," said Tiny, in a choking voice; for she, too, could
see for herself the truth of what had been said.

"I wanted to see the beautiful girl that he loves--her of whom he has so
often talked--and to tell you that you have misjudged him, if you think
as your sister thinks in the letter she sent."

"Letter?" exclaimed Tiny.

"Yes, this," said the girl, producing one from her bosom. "Oh, Miss
Rea, how can you slight his noble love? If you only knew! You both
misjudge him. Look at me, dear. I am here now; perhaps to-morrow, or
the next day, I shall be gone. But I do not think I could have died
without seeing you face to face, and telling you that he has been true,
and noble, and faithful to you. You might not have believe