ou call romance may be what I
like best. At any rate if I do not love Colonel Stubbs I am sure I
ought not to marry him;--and I won't."

After this there was nothing further to be said. Ayala thought that
she would be turned out of the room,--almost out of the house, in
disgrace. But Lady Albury, who was simply playing her part, was
not in the least angry. "Well, my dear," she said, "pray,--pray,
think better of it. I am in earnest, of course, because of my
cousin,--because he seems to have put his heart upon it. He is just
the man to be absolutely in love when he is in love. But I would
not speak as I do unless I were sure that he would make you happy.
My cousin Jonathan is to me the finest hero that I know. When a
man is a hero he shouldn't be broken-hearted for want of a woman's
smiles,--should he?"

"She ought not to smile unless she loves him," said Ayala, as she
left the room.

The Monday and Tuesday went very quietly. Lady Albury said nothing
more on the great subject, and the Colonel behaved himself exactly
as though there had been no word of love at all. There was nothing
special said about the Wednesday's hunt through the two days, till
Ayala almost thought that there would be no hunt for her. Nor,
indeed, did she much wish for it. It had been the Colonel who had
instigated her to deeds of daring, and under his sanction that she
had ventured to ride. She would hardly know how to go through the
Wednesday,--whether still to trust him, or whether to hold herself
aloof from him. When nothing was said on the subject till late on
the evening of the Tuesday, she had almost resolved that she would
not put on her habit when the morning came. But just as she was about
to leave the drawing-room with her bed-candle Colonel Stubbs came to
her. "Most of us ride to the meet to-morrow," he said; "but you and
Nina shall be taken in the waggonette so as to save you a little.
It is all arranged." She bowed and thanked him, going to bed almost
sorry that it should have been so settled. When the morning came Nina
could not ride. She had hurt her foot, and, coming early into Ayala's
room, declared with tears that she could not go. "Then neither shall
I," said Ayala, who was at that moment preparing to put on her habit.

"But you must. It is all settled, and Sir Harry would be offended if
you did not go. What has Jonathan done that you should refuse to ride
with him because I am lame?"

"Nothing," said Ayala.

"Oh, Ayala, d