If Only etc.

nary occasions, for once she raised no objection. She was perfectly willing that her marriage with Sir John Chetwynd should take place at once. Perhaps in her home Lady Ethel was not quite the plast

f my own daughter, I never can quite understand Ethel; she is not like other girl

e world and to those who had not come within the immediate charm of his manner and bearing, it did offer food for

rom the weary ills which weak flesh is heir to than their less favoured brothers and sisters, and in the early summer the Duchess began to complain of certain aches and pains and to bethink her that Sir John's advice might be worth following; so she drove over to Camelot Square and was shown into

oames, the eminently correct footman, u

advanced gus

was positively timid at coming with

Duchess, to give me suc

lightly with his lips and mot

nal man! Ah, you lovers, you are all alike, and w

credit it, or I shall never be permitted

ly Mamma thinks of you, J

our ability to make an income-a large income, sitting comfortably in an arm chair

in Lady Ethel, "and that is

thing serious, m

hay fever to such a distressing extent that

ghter l

and Mamma's sneezes were most mal-

arming sermon, so encouraging and tactful, I sneezed violently in the man's best moments

ot home-'I shall go and cons

he Duchess looked anxiously

ely recovered in a few days at most," said Sir Jo

sure you. I have had colds

ctor?" The stern face rela

ou not to be obstinate. Give me something potent-one

re not in the

is kind of you t

in a week, will not th

l be ra

te you a pr

Ethel's health, and she has always been so subject to chills. The risk of entrusting one's daughter to an unobservant man is

that I was an invalid, and I never remember to ha

she will be guarded as s

ed kindly at

whether I ever was very romantic, even in my younger days, but I think that she and I understand each other, and if we don't tiff and 'make

other too well to quarrel,

t love on either side?

than rhapsodies from another. Ethel, just look out of the window and see if the carriage is waiting. We are going to t

mma, it

good-bye to John-," and when the door had c

kward. Can you not help me, Sir John? The weeks are slipping by, and I should, I confess, l

in

urs and

matters, but then he was not the principal person to be consulted, and it certainly

ur hands. Let it be when you please. In another month I shall be

f, and perhaps you had better broach the subject yourself to

fashioned gallantry over the pearl-grey suede, held out in farewell, and

ld happen in the best regulated families, so he was now bent on making friends with the

his hand on the back of his chair

e excuse could he make to h

thunderbolt had fallen from the skies at his f

he rang

es next,

intment has been waiting for more than an hour, and I tho

w he

oor swung open again

Blac

t recovered himself

seat,

es they looked at each other without speaking

h a nervous laugh. "I am ill; I

erself, but he r

g strange in the very familiarity of the countenance presented to him. It had altered much from what h

he asked huskily-"Why

I thought you would do me good if anyone could." Sh

am willing to b

dog if it were dying, wouldn't you? th

ithful dog," he s

a wi

aken no notice of me, suddenly grew kind. I said to myself, 'Bella, it looks bad for you when ladies forget how common you are,' and then the thought struck me, London meant you! As a patient I might come to your house and

will do what

ill so

n your

if to smoothe his hair, and the colour ca

laden with rings-rings which he had not given her. His

she said; "I guess I'm pretty bad. You n

ly and replaced the stet

e not right. T

I used to be. I have come too

f by misgivings, which will only do you harm. Go away from England when the summer is over; go

d t

on why you should not l

hands out with a

on is impossible

ossi

tates. I have an engagement at the Emp

aws of health demand that you s

ers. I must sing to liv

look as if you were in

gh, but it melts like ice cream

u not w

-I wonder why I dread to die. There! I can follow your advice so far as this; I'll take the greatest care of myself-in London. I am glad I came to

, have you-it is a foolish quest

ghed re

has been awful lonesome. You didn't grieve much, that's certain. And you got your title soon after I w

ave been an

o hang in your little library in the old house. You are a good deal changed in the face; your manner is just the same

not so patient and tender wi

to make you sorry. Do you know how we lived-he and I, when I left you? He took me to Paris; and didn't we make the dollars spin, t

ou lef

d the corners

keting with a hand basket, to get it cheap. When we wanted a change we would take a bus to the Park and look at the swells across the railings; and sometimes Saidie gave us tic

love, then, after a

't know! what does it matter? It was a release for you and you are glad that it happened,

k of what

uld have been no happier," said Bella, ref

est to make

ore grateful and different, would y

loved you-I had no thought for a

rself, 'it was better so'? Suppose that you and I were still what we were o

t is impossible that we ca

close to

just what I used to be when I made you ashamed of my ignorance and my mistakes. But if I were p

e paining you

ac

's sake

her knees

you would

d remained my faithful wife, heaven

, then pressed her handkerchief to her mouth.

aid John Chetwynd, terribly mov

other. It is more than I deserve-you make me so sorry

can

o come. It is only a six months' engagement over here, and if I'm not long for this wicked world, I may not

you?

know and feel what my action towards you really

if, as you say, I expected and exacted

till raining dow

me,

You must not ask

ou despise me

u don't und

ss

again. I kissed her-a young girl-in this room half

into the face of the kneeling wo

er thought-I never dreamt. It seemed so-so-impossi

hush,

r own class-a lady

on it. Give me your hand

leaded. "What name

th

uld not kiss me-it would not be right of you. She is a young girl and she might find it hard to forgive you if she knew. I am going. You used to have a bell on your table, I recollect, with a little white knob that you pressed when Mary was to go

ng hand in his with God knows what of

-bye-

door f

was

cough as she passed dow