s, and then burst
out like a subterranean fire all over the country, because the hope
has been given them of getting their land for nothing! In order to
indulge in wholesale robbery they are willing at a moment's notice to
undertake wholesale murder."

After listening to words such as these, Edith found it impossible to
introduce Rachel's letter on the spur of the moment.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

RACHEL IS ILL.

Rachel, before the end of March, received the following letter from
her friend, but she received it in bed. The whole world of Covent
Garden Theatre had been thrown into panic-stricken dismay by the fact
that Miss O'Mahony had something the matter with her throat. This was
the second attack, the first having been so short as to have caused
no trepidations in the world of music; but this was supposed to be
sterner in its nature, and to have caused already great alarm. Before
March was over it was published to the world at large that Miss
O'Mahony would not be able to sing during the forthcoming week.

In this catastrophe her lordly lover was of course the most sedulous
of attendants. In truth he was so, though when we last met him and
his bride together he had made himself very disagreeable. Rachel had
then answered him in such language as to make her think it impossible
that he should not quarrel with her; but still here he was, constant
at her chamber door. Whether his constancy was due to his position
about the theatre or to his ardour as a lover, she did not know; but
in either case it troubled her somewhat, and interfered with her
renewed dreams about Frank. Then came the following letter from
Frank's sister:

DEAR RACHEL,

I am not very much surprised, though I was a little, that
you should have accepted Lord Castlewell; but I had not
quite known the ins and outs of it, not having been there
to see. Frank says that the separation had certainly come
from him, because he could not bring himself to burden
your prosperity with the heavy load of his misfortunes.
Poor fellow! They are very heavy. They would have made you
both miserable for awhile, unless you could have agreed
to postpone your marriage. Why should it not have been
postponed?

But Lord Castlewell came in the way, and I supposed
him naturally to be as beautiful and gracious as he is
gorgeous and rich. But though you say nothing about him
there does creep out from your letter some kind of i