ncheon to the servants, a start was again
effected. Lilla's adventure had left its impression one way or another on
two or three of the party. Jack was delighted that Du Meresq was off on a
fresh pursuit, and so not likely to be hanging about Bluebell; and that
damsel was trying, by a reckless flirtation with Vavasour, to stifle the
vexatious conviction that Bertie had only been making a fool of her on
Sunday, and was now probably repeating the same game with Miss Tremaine.
Yet at this period her vanity was more wounded than her heart; very
different from poor Cecil, whose infatuation was of older date, and not
the mere result of a few flattering speeches.

For a girl of her disposition to set her affections on a man like Bertie
was certain misery. She had no rivals in those days when she learnt to
care so intensely for the sympathetic companion who understood her so
much better than any one else. He understood her; therein was the potent
charm; her mind awoke and her ideas vivified from contact with his, as
two happily-contrasted colours become brighter in hue in juxtaposition.
No companion had ever suited her so perfectly, and yet Bertie had
scarcely made direct love to her. It seemed a matter of course that they
should care most for each other, and Cecil's young and ardent heart had
drifted beyond recall ere she had done more than suspect another side to
his character.

Now she perceived that Bertie's affection for her by no means made him
insensible to the bright eyes of the fair Canadians; yet the more she
cared for his philandering interludes with other girls the less she
showed it, except that her manner grew colder, though, unfortunately, her
heart did not.

Major Fane was disappointed with Cecil's preoccupied mood. He had taken
some pains to secure her for this drive, and she hadn't a word to say to
him. He certainly admired her, but, perhaps, it was more his horror of
Canadian girls that had made her his choice for the day. He always said
their only idea of conversation was chaff, and rudeness under cover of
it; and as he had been the victim of many such "smart" speeches, he
looked upon them with nervous aversion.

The quiet repose of a lady-like English girl gained by the contrast.
There was rather too much tranquillity to-day, perhaps; so he exerted
some tact to draw Cecil from her reserve, the cause of which he was
unable to guess. He agreed with her in reviling the monotony and
stupidity of sleighing p