cases. Dora had not a private love affair--at least I was never told of
it."

"Father, what are you thinking of? A private love affair in this house!
It was very different with poor Fanny Russell, who had only her silly,
selfish young stepmother between her and her father. I dare say she
would never have looked at an empty coxcomb like Cyril Carey if she had
been happy at home."

"And did I not hear you say," asked the gentleman, who had before now
been made the recipient of the disastrous complication of the story,
"that the girl was well quit of the jackanapes, for she could not have a
worse bargain made for her than she had nearly blundered into on her own
account?"

"Yes, I did say so," the lady admitted, when thus brought to book; "and
I'd say it again, if I had not seen that miserable, desperate expression
on his face, and he so young, and such a light-hearted, foolish dandy
only the other day. I may be sorry for him, I suppose, though I have no
son of my own. And I am grieved for poor James Carey, who is breaking up
so fast, and for poor, poor Mrs. Carey."

It was a positive relief when Dr. Millar came in one day and announced
that he had a piece of good news for the family, by far the best where
the Careys were concerned that he had heard for many a day. Cyril had
got an appointment at last; he had been offered the command of the
mounted police at Deweshurst.

"A policeman. Oh! what a downfall," cried Mrs. Millar and Dora. But when
the Doctor reminded them that there were policemen and policemen,
insisted on the fact that the practice of placing gentlemen at the head
of the constabulary was gaining ground, and asked them what they had
been in the habit of calling Colonel Shaw and Sir Edmund Henderson when
they were the chiefs of the London police, his womankind gave in.

Mrs. Carey did not say there would be another mouth less for her to
feed, but she remarked, with the same sardonic calmness, that Cyril's
clothes would be provided for him, which would be one good thing. Cyril
himself was only too glad to get away. He would have something to do,
however unpalatable in itself, instead of digging in the garden, and
going through the form of helping Robinson, his clerks, and cashier,
with their books. He would have a good horse under him once more, if he
were only to ride it to police drill.

Dora could not be sure whether he experienced a throb of thankfulness at
the thought that this had not happened ti