moving until the countess had left and closed the
door behind her. Then she turned to her lover and spoke in quick, low
tones.

"Give me her address--the girl they want you to marry!"

"What are you going to do?" asked his lordship.

"I don't know," answered the girl, "but I'm going to see her."

She scribbled the name down, and then said, looking the boy squarely in
the face:

"Tell me frankly, Jack, do you want to marry me, or do you not?"

"You know I do, Mary," he answered, and his eyes spoke stronger than his
words. "If I weren't a silly ass, there would be none of this trouble.
But I don't know how it is; I say to myself I'll do, a thing, but the
mater talks and talks and--"

"I know," interrupted Mary with a smile. "Don't argue with her, fall in
with all her views, and pretend to agree with her."

"If you could only think of some plan," said his lordship, catching at
the hope of her words, "you are so clever."

"I am going to try," answered Mary, "and if I fail, you must run off with
me, even if you have to do it right before your mother's eyes."

What she meant was, "I shall have to run off with you," but she thought
it better to put it the other way about.

Mary found her involuntary rival a meek, gentle little lady, as much
under the influence of her blustering father as was Lord C--- under that
of his mother. What took place at the interview one can only surmise;
but certain it is that the two girls, each for her own ends, undertook to
aid and abet one another.

Much to the surprised delight of their respective parents, there came
about a change in the attitude hitherto assumed towards one another by
Miss Clementina Hodskiss and Lord C---. All objections to his lordship's
unwilling attentions were suddenly withdrawn by the lady. Indeed, so
swift to come and go are the whims of women, his calls were actually
encouraged, especially when, as generally happened, they coincided with
the absence from home of Mr. and Mrs. Hodskiss. Quite as remarkable was
the new-born desire of Lord C--- towards Miss Clementina Hodskiss. Mary's
name was never mentioned, and the suggestion of immediate marriage was
listened to without remonstrance. Wiser folk would have puzzled their
brains, but both her ladyship and ex-Contractor Hodskiss were accustomed
to find all things yield to their wishes. The countess saw visions of a
rehabilitated estate, and Clementina's father dreamed of a peerage,
secured by the in