aving any
clear or distinct notion why.

"It seems to me," said Lord Chandos, "that we are both under guidance."

"I am glad, for my own part," said Lady Erskine. "It is much easier to
be guided than to guide. I find it easier to obey than to command."

"Do you?" he asked, laughingly. "You will find it very easy then some
day 'to love, honor and obey.'"

"I do not doubt it," said the beautiful heiress, calmly. "I should not
care to go through life alone; I want a stronger soul than my own to
lean on."

And again Lord Chandos went back in thought to the noble, self-reliant
girl who would hold her own against the world if need should be.

And yet he liked Lady Marion; her graceful, languid helplessness had a
great charm for him. When he bade her good-evening, it was with the hope
that they would soon meet again.

CHAPTER XXVI.

MAN'S FICKLENESS.

They did meet again and again, always with pleasure on his part, and
very soon with something else on hers. Wherever she was she looked out
above the dark Italian heads for the tall, erect figure and brave
English face of Lord Chandos. She did not talk much to him, but there
was a light in her eyes and a smile on her face most pleasant to see
when he was near. She never sought him, she never, either directly or
indirectly, gave him any idea of where she was going. She never
contrived to meet him, but there were very few days during which they
did not spend some hours together.

Lady Lanswell paid not the least attention when Lady Erskine joined
their party. She was kind and cordial, but she never made the least
effort either to entertain her or to induce her to stay. If ever by
chance Lord Chandos named her, his mother received the remark in total
silence--in fact, she completely ignored her--in which she showed her
tact. Had she ever made the least attempt to bring them together, he
would have seen through the little plot, and would have taken fright; as
it was, the net was so skillfully woven, that he was caught in it before
he knew there was a net at all. If the countess arranged a party for any
place, she never included the young heiress among her guests.

So that their frequent interviews were so completely accidental, neither
of them thought anything of it; they drifted unawares into an intimacy
at which every one smiled but themselves. It flattered Lord Chandos to
see dukes and princes drawback when he came near the beautiful heiress,
as though it wer