"Yes," he said, hastily; "I knew you did not like them, and was afraid you could not endure them

"You quite mistake," she said, coldly. "It is quite a wrong interpretation. I can be just in such an important matter as that. But have you considered what you are about to do? Enter into a family that despise-look down on-you, the manufacturer's sonthat have insulted your father, and whose treatment of me—but that, of course, I put aside."

"But what am I to do? I am pledged to her."

"In that case, you must go on, I suppose. I shall do what you wish to help you. What must it be-speak to him?”

"Oh, if you would!"

I am

"If I do, then, this must be understood-I do no more. not called on to favour it in any way. I will not make any approach to them, as it would be hypocritical; and if my manner or ways even hinder it, as I know it will, you must not blame me. But, as far as our father is concerned

"It is most kind and generous," said the young man, eagerly; "and I can ask no more."

That night Mrs. Labouchere went to her father's study, and remained there nearly an hour. He received her, full of bluster and indignation.

"Such work! That fool's last notion; but I won't have it. He shall marry as I wish, or go and carry his coat through the streets. I shan't have it."

"It is hard," said his daughter; "and certainly, as money seems to be the grand thing now-a-days, he ought to get a good match and raise the family. But these Talbots, father, are they not well connected?"

"A stuck-up, infernal lot; it's just some trick of theirs. But why should you mention them? I'm sure they made you swallow dirt enough."

"The greater my magnanimity! the secret; it must be some trick. which she led you."

But I believe you have got at Like that trap of the picture into

Mr. Hardman coloured at this recollection, which was really like some rankling sore.

"They shan't trick me. No; not one of them, if it was to cost me a thousand pound! No; I'll pay 'em for that, yet. Never! I'll bring their noses to the grindstone !"

"Then, if you will let me advise you, father, you will not oppose it." "Not oppose it! Do you take me for a fool ?"

"Not oppose it now. It will be done, in spite of you. If I was to manage it, I could find a way of paying off that woman, as you call it, in a more satisfactory way."

66

What do you mean?" love with him; they must Revenge, and that sort of but you are not bound to

'Oh, some scheming. I don't want it. "Let the thing go on. The girl's in humour her. They are ready to agree. thing, is low, and not worth the trouble; be considerate in any way to those who insult us as they have done. The true dignity would be to let the whole come from them. You will see how the matter will go on, and you can interfere at any time." He looked at her steadily.

"I don't understand this finessing. My way has always been straightforward. I don't choose the business, and I won't have it."

"He might do far better. Even that girl that was here to-daypeople of wonderful connection, and seeming even far more like real ladies. But you, father, know the world better, and have seen more of it than I have; so I only speak with diffidence."

This bit of deference only made Mr. Hardman more pompous; but it had the effect intended.

"I shall consider all these things, never fear. I don't usually make mistakes. This house and furniture, and the grounds round it, and what I have in the funds and securities, are not mistakes. I can get on very well without asking advice. There! we may leave the matter so until morning."

But the prospect she had opened would never have occurred to his thick brain; and he did see now that there was a field before him. That slight of the picture, returned in so humiliating a fashion, was always before him. Even the man who had gone off with some of his money long ago had not hurt him so much. The hint he had got he knew how to better in his own clumsy way.

CHAPTER II.

A CLOUD IN THE HORIZON.

MEANWHILE the Beauty and his family were once more at home, the former in very high dudgeon-a sort of settled sulk, in which he found great profit. There was a sensible relief for the two ladies to have him at home again, safe and secure, removed to that pleasant retirement out of the dangerous allurements of a disturbing world. He might "vent" himself in any way; he met nothing but indulgence and allowance. He had been recaptured and brought back. On this

ground they thought it better to say nothing "till to-morrow," about the proposal made to his daughter, from which, now, Mrs. Talbot began to shrink as from a degradation; yet she was generous and unselfish enough to think only of her daughter, who must not suffer, and whose affections she saw were seriously engaged. That was the most unselfish sacrifice she had ever made in her long career.

For a species of sword of Damocles had been hanging over her head ever since she returned; and the news she had heard, as she left Lord Bindley's, that the unscrupulous woman was to be near her—for what end she could well guess-had seemed some terrible blow. she believed that she had not returned home.

As yet About evening young Hardman himself came riding up, and hurried in.

"and

"I have told my father," he said, in a rather agitated way; he was very angry at first, principally, I believe, because I had not consulted him. But now he is much more moderate, and says I must not be in a hurry in these matters, and must consult his convenience." And then he added-"But you know what my poor father would say, as to great people condescending to him, which of course is all imagination. Of course we never anticipated it would run smooth; but Livy will not visit it on me?"

Livy's eyes visited on him the most boundless sympathy and affection instead.

Mrs. Talbot saw this, and sighed.

"You have told Mr. Talbot this plan? Į did not the other day."

"No."

"Shall he be told now? There he is."

Mrs. Talbot thought it would be better to delay this communication till they were alone.

The Beauty entered, dull and aggrieved; but his face cleared and brightened when he saw the young man.

"How are you, Hardman? How are they at The Towers? All home again?"

"Thank you," said the young man, "quite well. My sister came back only last night. By the way, here is a note I was to give you." He took it out and put it into the Beauty's hand, who withdrew into the next room to read it. Mrs. Talbot almost writhed.

"A note from my sister," the youth said, in explanation.

The Beauty went out, and after about ten minutes the bells of Livy's ponies were heard. He came in dressed—a fresh flower in his button-hole, a grey "gossamer" over his well-made coat.

"I am going to drive over your way, Hardman,” he said; “and could drop you. No? All right, then; I can go by myself."

Again there was something of monkeyish malice in the look he gave at her. Then he rattled away brilliantly on his course.

Young Hardman was at last gone, but the Beauty did not return for two or three hours. He arrived in a sort of complacent excitement, the symptoms of which his wife knew at once. As soon as he was in the drawing-room, he began,

"So it seems there is a marriage being arranged here, which it was not worth while communicating to me?"

"We had a reason for not telling you, Beauty dear."

"It sounds very respectable though for me to be told of such a thing outside. It is enough to make every one think I am a mere child and cypher in this house. Yes, a mere cypher and child! Who can respect me, if my own family show they do not?"

Mrs. Talbot listened with wonder to this new language, which she knew was not his own.

"There was nothing to tell you," she said. "It was only last night that he told his father."

"If I am to have any voice in the matter, I do not approve of it. There will be always a sense of patronage on one side, and an uneasy feeling of inferiority on the other."

Again these were new words for the Beauty-lent to him, as it

were.

"Go away, dearest Livy. I want to talk to your father about this."

"Oh, nonsense. Why shouldn't she stay. We are not going to talk treason here; and if we are, she would not betray us. I don't like these private interviews."

"Go away, dear."

And Livy left the room. The Beauty did not relish these secret hearings. When they were alone his wife began, calmly,—

"You must admit that our child has been the sweetest, most amiable, and devoted daughter that could be conceived.

had rather a severe apprenticeship.”

"Oh, yes; I am not saying anything against her."

She has

"We must not be too selfish. She has set her heart, her affections on this. That means, with one of her disposition-her all. You. must see this ?"

"Well, but I think it is not suitable for her. There will be that sense of inferiority"

"Oh, I know-on one side. I would rather hear your own views

and not Mrs. Labouchere's. You have them off by heart. Say your own opinions, and I will pay them all respect."

The Beauty coloured, and grew confused.

She went on,

"You know how that woman treated me, how she dislikes me, how I despise her. Now I think, even for one's self-respect, it is scarcely decent of you to become her partisan, or to be affecting to be so intimate with her. It is not complimentary to me; and I think it shows a little bad taste in you."

"Oh yes; but I have been treated too much as a child all along, and a cypher in the house; and I don't like it. If you knew what things are said—"

"By her?"

"By every one. It is perfect nonsense, and it can't go on. Why shouldn't I go and see her? Her kindness to me during all that time I shall never forget; and her sympathy and good-nature, too. Ah, she understands me. I am sure it is not unreasonable that a father should have a voice in the matter. I don't want to interfere with Livy and her happiness. He is a very good fellow, and all that; but I should have been told of it, consulted, and all that. It's only the proper thing, you see."

(To be continued.)