passing encomium on unusual beauty was
being promoted and magnified by the mother into a serious
attachment? But Lady Tyrrell was playing into her hands, and
Lenore's ecclesiastical proclivities were throwing her into the arms
of the family!

It hardly seemed fair to feign sympathy, yet any adverse hint would
be treason, and Mrs. Poynsett only asked innocently whether her
friend had seen her son Frank.

"Oh yes, often; the handsomest of all your sons, is he not?"

"Perhaps he is _now_."

"My girls rave about his beautiful brown eyes, just as you used to
do, Julia, five-and-thirty years ago."

Mrs. Poynsett was sure that whatever she had thought of Miles
Charnock's eyes five-and-thirty years ago, she had never raved about
them to Susan Lorimer, but she only said, "All my boys are like
their father except Charlie."

"But Master Frank has no eyes for any one but Miss Vivian. Oh yes,
I see the little jealousies; I am sorry for him; but you see it
would be a shocking bad thing for a younger son like him; whereas
Lory could afford it, and it would be the making of him."

Mrs. Poynsett held her peace, and was not sorry that her visitor was
called away while she was still deliberating whether to give a hint
of the state of the case.

Lady Susan was, however, more aware of it than she knew; Lady
Tyrrell had 'candidly' given her a hint that there had been 'some
nonsense about Frank Charnock,' but that he could never afford such
a marriage, even if his mother would allow it, all which she never
would. Besides, he had not fallen into a satisfactory set in
London--why, it was not needful to tell.

When, after the drive, Lady Tyrrell, fairly tired out by her
visitor's unfailing conversation and superabundant energy, had gone
to lie down and recruit for the evening, Lady Susan pressed on
Eleonora a warm invitation to the house in Yorkshire which she was
renting, and where Lorimer would get as much shooting as his colonel
would permit. The mention of him made Lenore blush to the ears, and
say, "Dear Lady Susan, you are always so kind to me that I ought to
be open with you. Don't fancy--"

"I understand, I understand, my dear," broke in Lady Susan. "You
shall not be teased. Do not the girls and I care for you for your
own sake?"

"I hope so."

The elder lady sprang up and embraced her. Affection was very
pleasant to the reserved nature that could do so little to evoke
caresses. Yet Eleonora clasped her Rockpie