ve
heard a hundred times from singers who knew what they were about, then,
though I admire her as I must always, my admiration is rather increased
than otherwise when she stops; because then I am no longer conscious of
a deficiency which even my unfortunate sister could supply."

"Your criticism of her singing sounds more sincere than your admiration
of her loveliness. I am not musician enough to judge. All I know is that
her singing is good enough for me."

"I know you are displeased because it is not good enough for me; but how
can I help myself? Poor Marian----"

"Do hush!" said Elinor. "Here she is."

"You need not be in such a hurry, Duke," said Marian. "What can it
matter to you how late you get back?"

"No," said Marmaduke. "I've got to write home. The governor is ill; and
my mammy will send me a five-sheet sermon if I neglect writing to-night.
You will keep Lucy for another week, wont you? Box her ears if she gives
you any cheek. She wants it: she's been spoiled."

"If we find we can do no better than that with her, we shall hand her
back to you," said Conolly. Then the visitors took their leave. Marian
gently pressed Douglas's hand and looked into his eyes as he bade her
farewell. Elinor, seeing this, glanced uneasily at Conolly, and
unexpectedly met his eye. There was a gleam of cynical intelligence in
it that did not reassure her. A few minutes later she went to bed,
leaving the couple alone together. Conolly looked at his wife for a
moment with an amused expression; but she closed her lips
irresponsively, and went to the table for a book which she wanted to
bring upstairs. She would have gone without a word had he not spoken to
her.

"Marian: Douglas is in love with you."

She blushed; thought a moment; and said quietly, "Very well. I shall not
ask him to come again."

"Why?"

She colored more vividly and suddenly, and said, "I thought you cared. I
beg your pardon."

"My dear," he replied, amiably: "if you exclude everybody who falls in
love with you, we shall have no one in the house but blind men."

"And do you like men to be in love with me?"

"Yes. It makes the house pleasant for them; it makes them attentive to
you; and it gives you great power for good. When I was a romantic boy,
any good woman could have made a saint of me. Let them fall in love with
you as much as they please. Afterwards they will seek wives according to
a higher standard than if they had never known you. But do not