A Mere Chance, Vol. 3 of 3

to-morrow (Thursday) morning, if convenient to him, between ten and twelve o'cl

part of December, a few weeks after the Town Hall ball. Mr. Dalrymple had just come t

itude for Rachel's welfare in the midst of the perils and temptations to which, while a meeting with her old lover was possible, she wou

r. Dalrymple, and she had no definite knowledge of his character, only an impression that he was "wild"-a man of the world, with a touch of the libe

e was time for anything to happen, and appeal to his honour and generosity on behalf of the woman h

other purpose than to see her," the little woman said to herself the moment she heard

trouble if possible, and this

n the Thursday morning, without any sens

walked from the larder to the drawing-room with a very grave and

and stately. There was an air of impracticable independence in his attitude, and in the distant dignity of his salutation that disconcerte

, in her quick, easy way. "I must apologise for summoning y

f at a little distance from her, not hesitatingly, but with just so much de

t you wished to see me upon some

mpertinent of me-perhaps it is a liberty for me to take-but the fact is I have so deep an

ame cool and distant manner, "I hope she is quite well? I h

is not very strong. Mr. Dalrymple, I ought perhaps to tell you that I-that Ra

of that, if you p

you on purpose

htily. "I cannot discuss those matters with strangers-st

of your accident-I never knew that Mr. Gordon came down-I never knew anything more than Rachel did, until it was too late. And I was her intima

to see what her interests were. May I ask if you are acting under her instructions now? D

se she d

s too late to take any action one way or the other. For Mrs. Kingston's sake, the fewer reminiscences we allow the better. Our business is to reconcile ourselves to circumstances, since they are irrevocable, and to let the past alone. If it

liar distant look in his sad and haughty face. Mrs. Reade sat

ated her like this, and she felt inexpressibly humiliated. Yet she had no sense of resentment, strange t

t Mrs. Kingston was not strong?"

s quite sound; but her nervous system is delicate. She cannot stand worry, o

always possible to keep her fr

much to the letter as to

does not run any risk of harm that he can spare her. If we are all as careful of her welfare

and lifted her

upon her with stately an

s so far been satisfactory," he said. "I suppose t

ed. They went into

oolly; "and unfortunately it is impossible to manufacture trees, without which the best house looks bald and nake

is mode of treating the question, and yet her efforts to divert the discussion

gravely. "I suppose you see a

o Toorak, or she comes here, or we meet somewhere about tow

oo, to have her friendship and co

said Mr

r before or since her marriage in connection with me. I hope I do not seem discourteous in saying this-if so, pray forgive me. I speak to you frankly, because you are her friend. I am afraid she has not had many friends-there is the more reason that we who desire her welfare and happiness, should take every precaution against imperil

is what I think-that is

rning. I am much obliged to you for your kindness. It looks rather as if we were going to

chanically-she had no arts wherewith to keep him; and in another minute he had passed out of the ho

ree selectors, overwhelmed him, the loss of land and stock and the accumulated treasure of toilsome and prosperous years, with the fortitude and equanimi

ecially-had never dared dispute her supremacy; but she had lived to hear herself called, or at any rate to find herself considered, a gossip-a com

s possessions; taking in all the details of his strong majestic figure, his thin, dark, proud face, with its immense moustache, the perfection of his quiet dress, and the repose and dig

umiliations that he had heaped upon her. No, she was filled with a vague but intense respect and

he thought of her heart undoubtedly was that here was