the household went on as it had been wont to do for years,
but with the spring came events. An old lady died whilst on a visit to
the house (she was a half-sister of Mrs. Warricombe), and by a will
executed a few years previously she left a thousand pounds, to be
equally divided between the children of this family. Sidwell smiled
sadly on finding herself in possession of this bequest, the first sum
of any importance that she had ever held in her own right. If she
married a man of whom all her kith and kin so strongly disapproved that
they would not give her even a wedding present, two hundred and fifty
pounds would be better than no dowry at all. One could furnish a house
with it.

Then Fanny had an attack of bronchitis, and whilst she was recovering
Buckland came down for a few days, bringing with him a piece of news
for which no one was prepared. As if to make reparation to his elder
sister for the harshness with which he had behaved in the affair of
Godwin Peak, he chose her for his first confidante.

'Sidwell, I am going to be married. Do you care to hear about it?'

'Certainly I do.'

Long ago she had been assured of Sylvia Moorhouse's sincerity in
rejecting Buckland's suit. That was still a grief to her, but she
acknowledged her friend's wisdom, and was now very curious to learn who
it was that the Radical had honoured with his transferred affections.

'The lady's name,' Buckland began, 'is Miss Matilda Renshaw. She is the
second daughter of a dealer in hides, tallow, and that kind of thing.
Both her parents are dead; she has lived of late with her married
sister at Blackheath.'

Sidwell listened with no slight astonishment, and her countenance
looked what she felt.

'That's the bald statement of the cause,' pursued her brother, seeming
to enjoy the consternation he had excited. 'Now, let me fill up the
outline. Miss Renshaw is something more than good-looking, has had an
admirable education, is five-and-twenty, and for a couple of years has
been actively engaged in humanitarian work in the East End. She has
published a book on social questions, and is a very good public
speaker. Finally, she owns property representing between three and four
thousand a year.'

'The picture has become more attractive,' said Sidwell.

'You imagined a rather different person? If I persuade mother to invite
her down here presently, do you think you could be friendly with her?'

'I see no reason why I should not be.'

'Bu