Father Stafford

es his Habits, and Mr

rs went with them, but otherwise the party was unchanged; for Morewood, who had come originally only for two days, had begged leave to stay, received it on condition of showing due respect to everybody's prejudices, telegraphed for his materials, and was fitfully busy making sketches, not of Lady Claudia, to her undisguised annoyance, but of Stafford, with whose face he had been wonderfully struck. Stafford himself was the only on

ton to the usual after-breakfast group on the

g into the house, whence she presently emerged, followe

se rapprochement between Claudia and Stafford. Kate, on the contrary, seemed to him to have set herself the task of throwing them together; with what motive he could not understand, unless it were the recollection of his ill-fated "Claudia." He did not think this explanation very convincing, for he was well aware that Kate's scorn of Claudia's attractions, as compared with her own, was perfectly genuine, and such a state of mind would

his direction. He had shunned society, and had taken great pains to restrict his acquaintance with the many devout ladies who had sought him out to the barest essentials of what ought to have been, if it was not always, their purpose in seeking him. The prince of this world was now preparing a more subtle attack; and under the seeming compulsion of common prudence no less than of old friendship, he found himself flung into the very center of the sort of life he had with such pains avoided. It may be doubted whether he was not, like an unskillful swimmer, ignorant of his danger; but it is certain that, had he been able to search out his own heart with his former acuteness of self-judgment, he would have found the first germs of inclinations and feelings to which he had been up till now a stranger. He would have discovered

her. Of the conscious design of attracting him she must be acquitted, for she acted under the force of a strong attraction exercised by him. Her mind was not entirely engrossed in the pleasures, and what she imagined to be the duties, of her station. She had a considerable, if untrained and erratic, instinct toward religion, and exhibited that leaning toward the mysterious and visionary which is the common mark of an acute mind that has not been presented with any methodical course of training worthy of its abilities. Such a temperament could not fail to be powerfully influenced by Stafford; and when an obvious and credita

y and patiently executed. But when you are staying at a country house with any man of average pertinacity, I make bold to say that nothing short of taking to bed can be permanently relied upon. If this is the case with the ordinary man, how much more does it hold good when the ass

Bob, to buy for Mrs. Lane a fresh supply of worsted wool, a commodity apparently necessa

e!" and, turning, fled back w

the road dusty, and, confronted with the alternative of a tête-à-têt

eet. "Well," he said, "it won't be unpleasant to

ime in dodging the ine

s a man might use if he had just succeeded in moving the adjournment. "I

imes a day, Mr. Haddingt

hen you a

O

great-my only object in

ll be over," thought Claudia, wh

-my attachment. I hope it

, but Claudia gave none. She sigh

e any hope for me

has misled you. [This was known-how, I do not know-to her brothers as "Claudia's formu

s you do not know me well en

se admiration for a man's abilities is a different thing from love [Haddington looked somewhat soothed], I could ne

hat in the worl

I imagine you would ever have honored me in this way unles

mark to make Haddington a little uneasy. Had Kate

ntinued, smiling, "only you mustn't p

t blow to me-

e!" but restrained herself and, with the daring

derstand you turning to me as if in self-protection. But you should not ask a lady to

was a lit

a. Indeed, if you come to that, I don't s

they're unhappy? Mr. Had

say you don't

nk so too. Isn't it strange? So suited to one anot

d is hardly

h to me-forty thousand pounds, I think. Ah, M

e had much chanc

ay that? If y

ha

you. How sad tha

s

e. They'r

isn't a marriag

es

at now. Good-by, Claudia

ay. Oh, please, Mr. Haddington! Think, if you go, it mu

me, I will t

. And never think again of the othe

stay," said

unhappy to see Eugene's

at's the only thing-but I must go. I

r tell that you tried m

st!" he protested

know your heart,

not ask for pit

ustn't thi

who put it

at have

h a last squeeze of her ha

hief into her pocket and

ith the thought that Claudia had, by a conscious effort, checked a nascent affection for him, which, if allowed unimpeded growth, would have developed into a passion. Again, that astute young lady had very accurately conjectured his state of mind, while her pledge of secrecy disposed of the difficulty in the way of a too rapid transfer of his attentions. If Claudia did not complain, nay, counseled such action, who had a right to object? It was true she had eagerly disclaimed any intention of inciting him to try to break the ties that now bound Miss Ber

ost's fiancée that if she, on mature reflection, likes you better than him, there is still time; but Haddington was not afflicted with delicacy. After all, in such a case a great deal depe

and the scene of Eugene's dutiful labors as reader-aloud. Kate was not looking amiable;

disturbing you

lone. Mr. Lane was here

ked Haddington,

ad it, flung his book

y what it

didn't

was a little diffic

you ar

as you

. Shall we cons

a little ungraciously. "But," she added more ki

I could

't you t

ople are generally rather indif

to tel

poor

r. Lane is in mu

ther o

not look

be pitied if he do

Haddi

o have said that. But it is hard-

that. It's wrong; it would be

ink I don'

ery discreditabl

, in a low voice. "God knows

wh

an I stand by and see that?" and Haddington p

e seldom was. In a tone o

hing of it. ["Good!" thought Haddington.] But whatever may b

roken?" he asked, growing bolde

e r

re not

understand I cannot listen. It is not honorable.

, and merely says the giving of such a hint is wrong, it may be taken that her sole objection to it is on the score of morality; and it is to be feared that obj

rdly! The play is just beginning.

's character, as well as in her forecast of his prospects. But the fruits o