avelled slowly. There were no railroads then, and no
telegraphs, and not many clubs. A week elapsed before the sad occurrence
was chronicled in a provincial paper, and another week before the report
was reproduced in London, and then in an obscure corner of the journal,
and in small print. Everything gets about at last, and the world began
to stare and talk; but it passed unnoticed to the sufferers, except by
a letter from Zenobia, received at Hurstley after Myra had departed from
her kind friends. Zenobia was shocked, nay, overwhelmed, by what she had
heard; wanted to know if she could be of use; offered to do anything;
begged Myra to come and stay with her in St. James' Square; and assured
her that, if that were not convenient, when her mourning was over
Zenobia would present her at court, just the same as if she were her own
daughter.

When the fatal keys were used, and the papers of Mr. Ferrars examined,
it turned out worse than even Myra, in her darkest prescience, had
anticipated. Her father had died absolutely penniless. As executor of
his father, the funds settled on his wife had remained under his sole
control, and they had entirely disappeared. There was a letter addressed
to Myra on this subject. She read it with a pale face, said nothing,
and without showing it to Endymion, destroyed it. There was to be an
immediate sale of their effects at the hall. It was calculated that the
expenses of the funeral and all the country bills might be defrayed by
its proceeds.

"And there will be enough left for me," said Myra. "I only want ten
pounds; for I have ascertained that there is no part of England where
ten pounds will not take me."

Endymion sighed and nearly wept when she said these things. "No," he
would add; "we must never part."

"That would ensure our common ruin," said Myra. "No; I will never
embarrass you with a sister. You can only just subsist; for you could
not well live in a garret, except at the Rodneys'. I see my way," said
Myra; "I have long meditated over this--I can draw, I can sing, I can
speak many tongues: I ought to be able to get food and clothing; I may
get something more. And I shall always be content; for I shall always be
thinking of you. However humble even my lot, if my will is concentrated
on one purpose, it must ultimately effect it. That is my creed," she
said, "and I hold it fervently. I will stay with these dear people for
a little while. They are not exactly the family on which