anner was perfectly calm, and as devoid of feeling as any one could
desire, and it was open to her comprehension that he avoided her
whenever he possibly could. She told herself this was all she could, or
did, desire; yet, nevertheless, she writhed beneath the certainty of it.

Beauclerk had not arrived until a week later than Dysart; until, indeed,
the news of the marvelous fortune that had come to her was well
authenticated, and then had been all that could possibly be expected of
him. His manner was perfect. He sat still And gazed with delightfully
friendly eyes into Miss Maliphant's pleased countenance, and anon
skipped across room or lawn to whisper beautiful nothings to Miss
Kavanagh. The latter's change of fortune did not, apparently, seem to
affect him in the least. After all, even now she was not as good a
_parti_ as Miss Maliphant, where money was concerned, but then there
were other things. Whatever his outward manner might lead one to
suspect, beyond doubt he thought a great deal at this time, and finally
came to a conclusion.

Joyce's fortune had helped her in many ways. It had helped many of the
poor around her, too; but it did even more than that. It helped Mr.
Beauclerk to make up his mind with regard to his matrimonial prospects.

Sitting in his chambers in town with Lady Baltimore's letter before him
that told him of the change in Joyce's fortune--of the fortune that had
changed her, in fact, from a pretty penniless girl to a pretty rich one,
he told himself that, after all, she had certainly been the girl for him
since the commencement of their acquaintance.

She was charming--not a whit more now than then. He would not belie his
own taste so far as so admit that she was more desirable in any way now,
in her prosperity, than when first he saw her, and paid her the immense
compliment of admiring her.

He permitted himself to grow a little enthusiastic, however, to say out
loud to himself, as it were, all that he had hardly allowed himself to
think up to this. She was, beyond question, the most charming girl in
the world! Such grace--such finish! A girl worthy of the love of the
best of men--presumably himself!

He had always loved her--always! He had never felt so sure of that
delightful fact as now. He had had a kind of knowledge, even when afraid
to give ear to it, that she was the wife best suited to him to be found
anywhere. She understood him! They were thoroughly _en rapport_ with
each othe