of rich and
ambitious parvenus, had offered itself--or, to speak more correctly, had
been offered.

"What's she like?" asked Mary.

"Oh, she's nice enough," was the reply, "only I don't care for her and
she doesn't care for me. It won't be much fun for either of us," and his
lordship laughed dismally.

"How do you know she doesn't care for you?" asked Mary. A woman may be
critical of her lover's shortcomings, but at the very least he is good
enough for every other woman.

"Well, she happens to care for somebody else," answered his lordship,
"she told me so herself."

That would account for it.

"And is she willing to marry you?" inquired Mary.

His lordship shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, well, you know, her people want it," he replied.

In spite of her trouble, the girl could not help a laugh. These young
swells seemed to have but small wills of their own. Her ladyship, on the
other side of the door, grew nervous. It was the only sound she had been
able to hear.

"It's deuced awkward," explained his lordship, "when you're--well, when
you are anybody, you know. You can't do as you like. Things are
expected of you, and there's such a lot to be considered."

Mary rose and clasped her pretty dimpled hands, from which she had drawn
her gloves, behind his neck.

"You do love me, Jack?" she said, looking up into his face.

For answer the lad hugged her to him very tightly, and there were tears
in his eyes.

"Look here, Mary," he cried, "if I could only get rid of my position, and
settle down with you as a country gentleman, I'd do it to-morrow. Damn
the title, it's going to be the curse of my life."

Perhaps in that moment Mary also wished that the title were at the bottom
of the sea, and that her lover were only the plain Mr. John Robinson she
had thought him. These big, stupid men are often very loveable in spite
of, or because of their weakness. They appeal to the mother side of a
woman's heart, and that is the biggest side in all good women.

Suddenly however, the door opened. The countess appeared, and sentiment
flew out. Lord C---, releasing Mary, sprang back, looking like a guilty
school-boy.

"I thought I heard Miss Sewell go out," said her ladyship in the icy
tones that had never lost their power of making her son's heart freeze
within him. "I want to see you when you are free."

"I shan't be long," stammered his lordship. "Mary--Miss Sewell is just
going."

Mary waited without