me."

"Vengeance is a very high-sounding word," observed Miss Hastings, "but
the thing itself generally assumes very prosaic forms. You would not
descend to such a vulgar deed as murder, for instance; nor would you
avail yourself of anything so commonplace as poison."

"No," replied Pauline, with contempt; "those are mean revenges. I will
hurt her where she has hurt me--where all the love of her heart is
garnered; there will I wound her as she has wounded me. Where she can
feel most there I mean to strike, and strike home."

"Then you have no definite plan arranged?" questioned Miss Hastings.

"Fate will play into my hands when the time comes," replied Pauline. Nor
could the governess extract aught further from her.

CHAPTER XXXI.

FATE FAVORS PAULINE.

Autumn, with its golden grain, its rich fruits, and its luxuriant
foliage, had come and gone; then Christmas snow lay soft and white on
the ground; and still Captain Langton had not paid his promised visit to
Darrell Court. He sent numerous cards, letters, books, and music, but he
did not appear himself. Once more the spring flowers bloomed; Sir Oswald
had been lying for twelve months in the cold, silent family vault. With
the year of mourning the last of Lady Darrell's gracefully expressed
sorrow vanished--the last vestige of gray and lavender, of jet beads and
black trimmings, disappeared from her dresses; and then she shone forth
upon the world in all the grace and delicate loveliness of her fair
young beauty.

Who could number her lovers or count her admirers? Old and young, peer
and commoner, there was not one who would not have given anything he had
on earth to win the hand of the beautiful and wealthy young widow.

Lady Hampton favored the suit of Lord Aynsley, one of the wealthiest
peers in England. He had met Lady Darrell while on a visit at the Elms,
and was charmed with her. So young, fair, gifted, accomplished, so
perfect a mistress of every art and grace, yet so good and amiable--Lord
Aynsley thought that he had never met with so perfect a woman before.

Lady Hampton was delighted.

"I think, Elinor," she said, "that you are one of the most fortunate of
women. You have a chance now of making a second and most brilliant
marriage. I think you must have been born under a lucky star."

Lady Darrell laughed her soft, graceful little laugh.

"I think, auntie," she returned, "that, as I married the first time to
please you, I may marry now to