rustic bench in the garden with a book in
her hand, but her eye fixed with fond admiration on her daughter. The
fair girl stood on the steps in the porch as on a pedestal surrounded
with a frame-work of flowers. A straw hat, with a wide leaf, was
placed coquettishly on one side of her head, and from its shade an
abundance of black glossy ringlets fell over the sunshine of her face.
She had never known a moment's sickness or sorrow; her eye had never
met a frown; her ears never heard a chiding. She seemed almost radiant
with health and happiness--her joyous smile the overflow of her glad
heart.

Lady Waring beckoned her over, and as she moved to obey the summons,
the shadow of her graceful sinuous figure scarcely appeared to touch
the sward more lightly than herself. Kate sat down beside her mother,
put an arm round her, and looked up joyfully into her face. It was one
of those peculiar English days, when the sun shines with a fierce
heat, but the east wind is sharp and cold, and the air ungenial where
the rays do not reach. At the moment when Kate joined her mother, a
thick cloud passed above their heads, throwing a heavy shade over
them, while a breeze sweeping up from the brook cast a sudden chill.
With an involuntary shudder they pressed for a moment closer together.
At the same time a servant ushered a tall, strange gentleman into the
garden, "Mr Henry Meynell," he announced, and then withdrew.

The kinsman received a cordial greeting, and, of course, an invitation
to remain that day, which was accepted. The charm of his manner and
conversation was irresistible when he strove to please: he strove his
utmost that night, and fully succeeded--mother and daughter were alike
won by him. When he rode away from the door at a late hour, Lady
Waring was eloquent in his praise. Kate's eloquence was silence, but
it spake quite as much, and that night she did not sleep so tranquilly
as was her wont.

As Henry Meynell galloped home over the lonely road, the bland and
winning smile which had played over his face all the evening
contracted into a moody and sinister expression. The thin lips became
compressed, and his arched brows extended into a hard dark line over
his eyes. He was planning evil, and had no witness; at such times his
features seemed to take this peculiar appearance as their natural
cast; yet it was scarcely possible to believe that one, before so
handsome, could suddenly become repulsive and painful to behold.