r of the officers from Rockcliffe, if they will waive
ceremony and come."

"All right," he replied, "I will send over the first thing to-morrow
morning;" and from the inflexion of his mother's voice, Jim gathered
that his programme for the morrow had, at all events, not met
altogether with her approval.

But there were still a few more bitter drops to be squeezed into the
cup of Lady Mary's discontent before she laid her head upon her pillow.
She had not been ten minutes in her room when there was a tap at the
door, and Blanche entered.

"I just looked in, mamma dear, to ask you if you knew that the
Chipchases were related to Mrs. Wriothesley?"

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Lady Mary; "what can you be dreaming of? Why, I
have known Laura and her sister all their lives; and had they been
related to that detestable woman, I must have heard of it."

"Well, I can only say that Sylla Chipchase told me to-day at Trotbury
that Mrs. Wriothesley was her aunt, and that she was going up to stay
with her as soon as the holidays were over."

"Good Heavens!" exclaimed Lady Mary, "I might have guessed it; I might
have known there was some reason for my instinctive dislike to that
girl. That a niece of that horrid woman should turn out as
objectionable as herself is only what one might expect."

"But really, mamma dear," expostulated Blanche, "although I don't quite
like Sylla Chipchase myself, you cannot say that of her. I know you
don't like Mrs. Wriothesley; but she is a very pretty woman, and Jim
declares a very pleasant one."

"Don't talk to me of Jim!" cried Lady Mary petulantly. "He is too
provoking, and thinks every woman not positively ugly that smiles upon
him delightful; but I lose all patience when I speak of Mrs.
Wriothesley. Of course it's quite possible for Mrs. Wriothesley to be
Sylla's aunt, although no relation to her cousins; and you say this
girl is going to stay with her?"

"Yes, for the remainder of the season," rejoined Blanche.

"Upon my word," exclaimed Lady Mary, "I really cannot think what sins I
have committed, that such a trial should be laid upon me. Mrs.
Wriothesley is bad enough as it is, and hard enough to keep at arms'
length; but Mrs. Wriothesley with a pretty girl to chaperon--and I am
sorry to own that Sylla is that--a girl, moreover, who has forced her
way upon us in the country, will be simply unendurable."

Pansey Cottrell, had he been present at this scene, would most
thoroughly hav