to refuse to plead for him."

"And the girl," said my lady, "what of her?"

"You will think I am weak and foolish, without doubt," he said, "but the
girl distressed me even more than Lance. She is beautiful enough to
arouse the admiration of the world; and she spoke so well for him."

"A farmer's niece--an underbred, forward, designing, vulgar country
girl--to be Countess of Lanswell," cried my lady, in horror.

"Nay," said the earl, "she is a farmer's niece, it is true, but she is
not vulgar."

"It is not possible that she can be presentable," said my lady. "We must
move heaven and earth to set the marriage aside."

"I had not thought of that," said the earl, simply.

Then my lady took the lace mantilla from her shoulders, and sat down at
the writing-table.

"I will send for Mr. Sewell," she said. "If any one can give us good
advice, he can."

Mr. Sewell was known as one of the finest, keenest, and cleverest
lawyers in England; he had been for more than twenty years agent for the
Lanswells of Cawdor. He knew every detail of their history, every event
that happened; and the proud countess liked him, because he was
thoroughly conservative in all his opinions. She sent for him now as a
last resource; the carriage was sent to his office, so that he might
lose no time. In less than an hour the brisk, energetic lawyer stood
before the distressed parents, listening gravely to the story of the
young heir's marriage.

"Have you seen the girl?" he asked.

"Yes, I have seen her," said the earl.

"Is she presentable?" he inquired. "Would any degree of training enable
her to take her rank----"

Lady Lanswell interrupted him.

"The question need never be asked," she said, proudly. "I refuse ever to
see her, or acknowledge her. I insist on the marriage being set aside."

"One has to be careful, my lady," said Mr. Sewell.

"I see no need for any great care," she retorted. "My son has not
studied us; we shall not study him. I would rather the entail were
destroyed, and the property go to one of Charles Seyton's sons, than my
son share it with a low-born wife."

My lady's face was inflexible. The earl and the lawyer saw that she was
resolved--that she would never give in, never yield, no matter what
appeal was made to her.

They both knew that more words were useless. My lady's mind was made up,
and they might as well fight the winds and the waves. Lord Lanswell was
more inclined to pity and to temporize. He was