of marriage,--if only he could find some one good enough
to marry. Then the Colonel had found Ayala. Lady Albury at the
beginning of all this was not inclined to think that Ayala was good
enough. Judging at first from what she heard and then from what she
saw, she had not been very favourable to Ayala. But when her friend
had insisted,--had declared that his happiness depended on it,--had
shown by various signs that he certainly would carry out his
intentions, if not at Stalham then elsewhere, Lady Albury had yielded
herself to him, and had become Ayala's great friend. If it was
written in the book that Ayala was to become Mrs. Stubbs then it
would certainly be necessary that she and Ayala should be friends.
And she herself had such confidence in Jonathan Stubbs as a man of
power, that she did not doubt of his success in any matter to which
he might choose to devote himself. The wonder had been that Ayala
should have rejected the chance when it had come in her way. The girl
had been foolish, allowing herself to be influenced by the man's red
hair and ill-sounding name,--not knowing a real pearl when she saw
it. So Lady Albury had thought,--having only been partially right
in so thinking,--not having gone to the depth of Ayala's power of
dreaming. She was very confident, however, that the girl, when once
again at Stalham, would yield herself easily; and therefore she went
to work, doing all that she could to smoothen love's road for her
friend Jonathan. Her woman's mind had seen all those difficulties
about clothes, and would have sent what was needful herself had
she not feared to offend both the Dosetts and Ayala. Therefore she
prepared a present which she could give to the girl at Stalham
without offence. If it was to be the girl's high fate to become Mrs.
Jonathan Stubbs, it would be proper that she should be adorned and
decked, and made beautiful among others of her class,--as would
become the wife of such a hero.

Of all that passed between her and Ayala word was sent down to
Aldershot. "The stupid little wretch will throw you out, I know,"
wrote Lady Albury, "by making you start two hours before you have
done your work. But you must let your work do itself for this
occasion. There is nothing like a little journey together to make
people understand each other."

The Colonel was clearly determined to have the little journey
together. Whatever might be the present military duties at Aldershot,
the duties of love w