n her
unqualified consent to become Lord Cameron's wife. She would soon be a
countess and occupy a position which half the women in Europe would
envy, and yet she was utterly wretched.

A little later her sister came to her, and in all her life Violet could
not remember that she had ever manifested so much affection for her.

"Vane has told me," she said, in an exultant tone, as she bent down and
softly kissed Violet's forehead. "I am very glad, and I fully agree with
him that it will be best for you to go quietly to the Isle of Wight
until your health is fully established. He says he has a yacht there
also, and intends to give you an occasional taste of the ocean which you
love so much. It will be delightful. And now we must begin to think of
the necessary preparations, for Vane says, if you are agreeable, he
would like the marriage to take place just a month from to-day, when you
will start immediately for England."

For the life of her Violet could not prevent the shiver which shook her
from head to foot at this announcement, and a wild desire for death and
oblivion shot through her heart.

"Well, dear, what shall I tell him?" Belle asked, after waiting some
time for a response and receiving none.

"Suit yourselves--it makes no difference to me," Violet said, wearily,
and though it was a rather doubtful and unsatisfactory concession, Mrs.
Mencke made the most of it; and, feeling perfectly jubilant over this
happy termination to all her ambitious plotting and scheming, she stole
away to impart the gratifying information to her husband, who, of late,
had seemed to be very impatient of the delay to bring matters to a
crisis.

They did not trouble the young girl much after that. Vane said she must
not be annoyed by petty details, so he took everything that was possible
upon himself.

Matters of importance, which he did not feel at liberty to decide alone,
he submitted to Mrs. Mencke, who pretended to consult Violet; but it was
only pretense, for she settled everything to suit herself, and the
preparations for the wedding went steadily and rapidly forward.

The ambitious woman was so delighted that she felt she must have some
outlet for her feelings, which would have been out of taste for her to
exhibit there, so she sent notices to different American papers of the
approaching marriage of her sister, "Miss Violet Draper Huntington to
his lordship the Earl of Sutherland," etc. etc.

Violet kept her room most of