been worse than any Vandal in that matter of selling her lover's
magnificent works, still she was ready to tell of his generosity. In
a manner of his own he had sent the money which Hamel had so greatly
needed, and had now come forward to provide, with a generous hand,
for the immediate necessities, and more than the necessities, of the
wedding. It was not only that she was to share the honours of the
two wedding-cakes with Gertrude, and that she was to be taken as a
bride from the gorgeous mansion in Queen's Gate, but that he had
provided for her bridal needs almost as fully as for those of his own
daughter. "Never mind what she'll be able to do afterwards," he said
to his wife, who ventured on some slight remonstrance with him as
to the unnecessary luxuries he was preparing for the wife of a poor
man. "She won't be the worse for having a dozen new petticoats in
her trunk, and, if she don't want to blow her nose with as many
handkerchiefs this year as Gertrude does, she'll be able to keep them
for next year." Then Aunt Emmeline obeyed without further hesitation
the orders which were given her.

Nor was his generosity confined to the niece who for the last twelve
months had been his property. Lucy was still living in Queen's Gate,
though at this time she spent much of each day in Kingsbury Crescent,
and on one occasion she brought with her a little note from Uncle
Tom. "Dear Ayala," said the little note,

As you are going to be married too, you, I suppose, will
want some new finery. I therefore send a cheque. Write
your name on the back of it, and give it to your uncle. He
will let you have the money as you want it.

Yours affectionately,

T. TRINGLE.

I hope your Colonel Stubbs will come and see me some day.

"You must go and see him," she said to her Colonel Stubbs, when he
called one day in Kingsbury Crescent. "Only for him I shouldn't have
any clothes to speak of at all, and I should have to be married in my
old brown morning frock."

"It would be just as good as any other for my purpose," said the
Colonel.

"But it wouldn't for mine, Sir. Fine feathers make fine birds, and
I mean to be as fine as Lady Albury's big peacock. So if you please
you'll go to Queen's Gate, and Lombard Street too, and show yourself.
Oh, Jonathan, I shall be so proud that everybody who knows me should
see what sort of a man has chosen to love me."

Then there was a joint visit paid by the two sisters t