her
cousin Tom and Colonel Stubbs. Some hint of a fracas between the two
men had reached her ears; but now she asked various questions of her
aunt, and at last elicited the truth. Tom had attacked her other
lover in the street,--had attacked Colonel Stubbs because of his
injured love, and had grossly misbehaved himself. As a consequence he
would have been locked up by the police had not the Colonel himself
interfered on his behalf. This to Ayala seemed to be conduct worthy
almost of an Angel of Light.

Then the question of the proposed visit was discussed,--first with
her aunt, and then with herself. Mrs. Dosett was quite willing that
her niece should go to Stalham. To Mrs. Dosett's thinking, a further
journey to Stalham would mean an engagement with Colonel Stubbs. When
she had read Lady Albury's letter she was quite sure that that had
been Lady Albury's meaning. Captain Batsby was not to receive the
Stalham interest;--but that interest was to be used on the part of
Colonel Stubbs. She had not the slightest objection. It was clear to
her that Ayala would have to be married before long. It was out of
the question that one man after another should fall in love with her
violently, and that nothing should come of it. Mrs. Dosett had become
quite despondent about Tom. There was an amount of dislike which it
would be impossible to overcome. And as for Captain Batsby there
could be no chance for a man whom the young lady could not be induced
even to see. But the other lover, whom the lady would not admit that
she loved,--as to whom she had declared that she could never love
him,--was held in very high favour. "I do think it was so noble not
to hit Tom again," she had said. Therefore, as Colonel Stubbs had a
sufficient income, there could be no reason why Ayala should not go
again to Stalham. So it was that Mrs. Dosett argued with herself, and
such was the judgment which she expressed to Ayala.

But there were difficulties. Ayala's little stock of cash was all
gone. She could not go to Stalham without money, and that money must
come out of her Uncle Reginald's pocket. She could not go to Stalham
without some expenditure, which, as she well knew, it would be hard
for him to bear. And then there was that terrible question of her
clothes! When that suggestion had been made of a further transfer of
the nieces a cheque had come from Sir Thomas. "If Ayala comes to us
she will want a few things," Sir Thomas had said in a note to Mr