know that--long before he had
seen our Florence."

"And she is connected with him through his cousin. Let her be ever so
bad, I should drop that."

"You can't suppose, Theodore, that I want even to mention her name. I'm
told that nobody ever visits her."

"She needn't be a bit the worse on that account. Whenever I hear that
there is a woman whom nobody visits, I always feel inclined to go and
pay my respects to her."

"Theodore, how can you say so?"

"And that, I suppose, is just what Harry has done. If the world and his
wife had visited Lady Ongar, there would not have been all this trouble
now."

Mrs. Burton of course undertook the task which her husband assigned to
her, though she did so with much nervous trepidation, and many fears
lest the desired object should be lost through her own maladroit
management. With her, there was at least no doubt as to the thing to be
done--no hesitation as to the desirability of securing Harry Clavering
for the Burton faction. Everything in her mind was to be forgiven to
Harry, and he was to be received by them all with open arms and loving
caresses, if he would only abandon Lady Ongar altogether. To secure her
lover for Florence, was Mrs. Burton's single and simple object. She
raised no questions now within her own breast as to whether Harry would
make a good husband. Any such question as that should have been asked
and answered before he had been accepted at Stratton. The thing to be
done now was to bring Harry and Florence together, and--since such
terrible dangers were intervening--to make them man and wife with as
little further delay as might be possible. The name of Lady Ongar was
odious to her. When men went astray in matters of love, it was within
the power of Cecilia Burton's heart to forgive them; but she could not
pardon women that so sinned. This countess had once jilted Harry, and
that was enough to secure her condemnation. And since that, what
terrible things had been said of her! And dear, uncharitable Cecilia
Burton was apt to think, when evil was spoken of women--of women whom
she did not know--that there could not be smoke without fire. And now
this woman was a widow with a large fortune, and wanted a husband! What
business had any widow to want a husband? It is so easy for wives to
speak and think after that fashion when they are satisfied with their
own ventures.

It was arranged that when Harry came to the door, Mrs. Burton should go
up alone to the dr