f her own contriving--therein lay the sting--had not prevented from
answering on her own account at all. And, instead of talking to that nice
new aunt of hers, she had been compelled to hide behind a big clump of
perennial sunflowers--all her life Margaret felt she would hate those
flowers--and listen to Eleanor offending and estranging her aunt with
every word she uttered.

And then Eleanor had taken her aunt away to sing to her. And the
exceeding beauty of Eleanor's voice as it floated out across the lawn had
sent another pang through Margaret's jealous heart. Oh, she knew how it
would be, she told herself miserably, as, seeking refuge in the shady
little arbour where she and Eleanor held their stolen meetings, she sat
down on the bench, and, resting her elbows on the little rustic table,
gave herself up to her moody reflections. Eleanor would win Lady
Strangways' heart so completely that, even when the truth about them
came out, her aunt would have no affection left for her.

Margaret was so occupied with these dismal thoughts that she did not hear
Eleanor's step on the gravel, and was considerably startled when a touch
on her shoulder made her look up to see the other standing beside her.
She had expected to see Eleanor wearing a triumphant, elated air, and was
consequently very much surprised to find that, to judge from the
expression on her face at least, Eleanor's mood was not more happy than
her own.

"Has my aunt gone?" she said.

Eleanor gave a short, mocking little laugh.

"I am afraid, for the time being at any rate," she said, "I must
claim half of her. So I may tell you that our aunt is still in the
drawing-room. But really I couldn't stand her any longer. So I fled and
left her there."

"But--but, I thought she was being so nice to you," faltered Margaret, at
a loss for a moment to know what Eleanor meant, "and that you had taken a
great fancy to one another."

"Oh, she was all right," said Eleanor. "I should think she was what
Americans would call just a lovely person. But somehow she made me feel
such a sham and a fraud that I never want to see her again, and so I
would have none of her kindness. Knowing that it was not meant for me,
and that I was getting it under false pretences, I was--well--so rude
that I don't expect she will ever want to see me again."

"Oh!" said Margaret, and she could not help feeling just a little bit
pleased to hear that Eleanor had not found favour in Lady Strangway