would not love her when he knew how lightly she had once before given
her love.

So she committed that greatest of all errors, she engaged herself to
marry Lord Atherton without telling him of her acquaintance with the
young artist. Then she was so happy for a time that she forgot the whole
matter; she was so happy that she ceased to remember there had ever been
anything deserving blame in her life.

The season over, they returned to Thorpe Castle, and Lord Atherton soon
followed to pay them a long visit. He told them quite frankly that it
was perfectly useless to delay the wedding, that he could not live out
of Marion's presence, therefore the sooner the arrangements were made
the better.

That was perhaps the happiest time in Marion's life. Lady Ridsdale,
delighted at the excellent match she was about to make, was in the
highest spirits. Preparations were begun for the trousseau. Lord
Atherton ordered that his mansion, Leigh Hall, should be entirely
refurnished. Every luxury, every splendor, every magnificence, was
prepared for the bride; presents were lavished upon her from all sides;
congratulations and good wishes were showered on her.

She was perhaps at that time the happiest girl in the world. She had
almost forgotten that buried romance of her school days. When she
remembered Allan, it was only with an earnest desire to help him. To
Adelaide Lyster she sent some very superb presents, telling her frankly
of her approaching marriage, and telling her she would always be most
welcome at Leigh Hall.

If she had been more worldly-wise, poor child, she would have known that
Adelaide's silence meant mischief; but she was not married with any
presentiment of the sorrow that was to fall so heavily upon her and when
she was married she declared herself to be happier than any one had ever
been in this world yet.

CHAPTER XII.

An agreement had been made between them that some little time should
elapse before Allan put his long-cherished scheme into execution.
Nothing, Adelaide assured him, could have answered his purpose better
than Marion's marriage with the wealthy Lord Atherton.

"You will be able to get what you like from her, Allan. I am told she
worships her husband. Those letters will be worth a fortune, after all.
Now see what it is to have a clever sister."

They allowed her, poor child, some short dream of happiness; she was
lulled into perfect security when the blow fell. As Lady Atherton of