ey never give such offices to anything less than a duke, you
know.'

"The little woman was all in a flutter of excitement. Again she made a
motion that I should bend my head to listen.

"'Would I oblige her and ride or walk with Mr. James. She would rather
that the duke should not see Lucy with him just now. He might understand
an engagement, and the Spaniards were so proud and particular. That was
a good soul! She could trust me with all her little secrets.'

"The silly thing did not dream how willing I was to oblige her, but
General Harrington broke up our plans. He had engaged a carriage, and
called on me to get in with Mrs. Harrington. My maid was already seated
there, so James walked to the shore alone. The Eatons had their way, for
he did not offer to go with them. They lingered at the landing till the
duke drove off. Mrs. Eaton told me that he had absolutely waved a kiss
to Lucy from his carriage window. Of course it was not returned, 'but
straws show where the wind lies,' she said. 'So many people told us
before we came away, that we ought to look higher for a girl like our
Lucy. I wonder if a duke would meet the ideas of our friends.'

"The woman's fussy vanity wearied me--so puerile, so ridiculous, yet
there was a sting in it. Look higher for their daughter! Higher than
whom? But why should I let the talk of this silly woman annoy me? The
daughter is wonderfully beautiful, but what of that? Still I have heard
it said that the most brilliant men often choose such women for their
wives. There is repose in this companionship it is said, and so it may
be for a time, but men do not live for repose. When a man wants rest for
his intellect, let him sleep, not marry a pretty idiot.

"Dear, dear! how bitter I am becoming! How unhappy I am! What possesses
me to think of this poor girl as an enemy? Is it because he took her to
the cathedral yesterday and left me to General Harrington.

"We went to the cathedral again this morning. I saw General Harrington
talking earnestly with James just before we started. He seemed a little
angry. I could not hear a word, but they both looked towards me, and I
saw the blood rush into James' face when he saw that I was regarding
them. He hesitated a moment after the General left him, and advanced a
step towards me, then wheeled suddenly and went away. A few minutes
after I saw him walking towards the cathedral with Lucy Eaton. We
followed them after a little, General Harrington obs