difficult, and did not require much of his
time. And now, just when he ought to put in his claim for Lois, if he
was ever going to make it; just when she was set loose from her old
ties and marking out a new and hard way of life for herself, he ought
to come; and he was going on business to Canada! Mrs. Barclay was
excessively disgusted and disappointed. She had not, indeed, all along
seen how Philip's wooing could issue successfully, if it ever came to
the point of wooing; the elements were too discordant, and principles
too obstinate; and yet she had worked on in hope, vague and doubtful,
but still hope, thinking highly herself of Mr. Dillwyn's pretensions
and powers of persuasion, and knowing that in human nature at large all
principle and all discordance are apt to come to a signal defeat when
Love takes the field. But now there seemed to be no question of wooing;
Love was not on hand, where his power was wanted; the friends were all
scattered one from another--Lois going to the drudgery of teaching
rough boys and girls, she herself to the seclusion of some quiet
seaside retreat, and Mr. Dillwyn--to hunt bears?--in Canada.

CHAPTER XXXIX.

LUXURY.

So they were all scattered. But the moving and communicating wires of
human society seem as often as any way to run underground; quite out of
sight, at least; then specially strong, when to an outsider they appear
to be broken and parted for ever.

Into the history of the summer it is impossible to go minutely. What
Mr. Dillwyn did in Canada, and how Lois fought with ignorance and
rudeness and prejudice in her new situation, Mrs. Barclay learned but
very imperfectly from the letters she received; so imperfectly, that
she felt she knew nothing. Mr. Dillwyn never mentioned Miss Lothrop.
Could it be that he had prematurely brought things to a decision, and
so got them decided wrong? But in that case Mrs. Barclay felt sure some
sign would have escaped Lois; and she gave none.

The summer passed, and two-thirds of the autumn.

One evening in the end of October, Mrs. Wishart was sitting alone in
her back drawing-room. She was suffering from a cold, and coddling
herself over the fire. Her major-domo brought her Mr. Dillwyn's name
and request for admission, which was joyfully granted. Mrs. Wishart was
denied to ordinary visitors; and Philip's arrival was like a
benediction.

"Where have you been all summer?" she asked him, when they had talked
awhile of some