nsible thing, too, my dear. I wish, I only wish I
had the management of Miss Darrell; I would break her spirit, if it is
to be broken."

"I do not think it is," said Lady Darrell, rising as though she were
weary of the discussion. "There is nothing in her conduct that any one
could find fault with, yet I feel she is my enemy."

"Wait a while," returned Lady Hampton; "her turn will come."

And from that day the worthy lady tried her best to prejudice Sir Oswald
against his proud, beautiful, wayward niece.

CHAPTER XXVI.

A PUZZLING QUESTION.

"Does Miss Darrell show any signs of disappointment?" inquired Lady
Hampton one day of Miss Hastings.

Miss Hastings, although she noticed a hundred faults in the girl which
she would fain have corrected, had nevertheless a true, strong, and warm
affection for her pupil; she was not one therefore to play into the
enemy's hand; and, when Lady Darrell fixed her eyes upon her, full of
eagerness and brightened by curiosity, Miss Hastings quietly resolved
not to gratify her.

"Disappointment about what?" she asked. "I do not understand you, Lady
Hampton."

"About the property," explained Lady Hampton, impatiently. "She made so
very sure of it. I shall never forget her insolent confidence. Do tell
me, is she not greatly annoyed and disappointed?"

"Not in the way you mean, Lady Hampton. She has never spoken of such a
thing."

Her ladyship felt piqued; she would have preferred to hear that Pauline
did feel her loss, and was grieving over it. In that case she would
have been kind to her, would have relented; but the reflection that her
pride was still unbending annoyed her, and she mentally resolved to try
if she could not force the girl into some expression of her feelings. It
was not an amiable resolve, but Lady Hampton was not naturally an
amiable woman.

Fortune favored her. That very day, as she was leaving the Court, she
saw Pauline standing listlessly by the lake side feeding the graceful
white swans. She went up to her with a malicious smile, only half-vailed
by her pretended friendly greeting.

"How do you do, Miss Darrell? You are looking very melancholy. There is
nothing the matter, I hope?"

For any one to attempt to humiliate Pauline was simply a waste of time;
the girl's natural character was so dignified that all attempts of the
kind fell through or told most upon her assailants. She answered Lady
Hampton with quiet politeness, her dark eyes hardly