Year: 1878

better than to appear in chains ard bracelets


care not you judging her harshlyT


81 think not. am perhaps putting the case
strongly to counteract purpose that see
growing in your mind; You are longing to carry
US all back to Castle Daily, and am determin-
ed you shall fairly see all possibilities such
course involves"


"Yes, but 1 want you TO help me through
the rest of the London season in looking after
Lesbia. How solemnly you spoke at first about
guarding her from fortune-hunters. Don't
"Yes. aadI think it was you then who pat
in a word for giving fair play to her Affections
and not interfering with her choice when it
came to the point of her making one for her.
self. You know best how it is with her but
for nv own part wonder sometimes whether
we did wisely when we took her from place
where she had some rational pursuits, and
account at this time, to plunge her into the
aimless dissipation she is following now. Is
the advantage of her ending her career by
marrying Msrmaduke Pelham 50 very mani
fest y


81 think we were bound to chow her some.
thing more of the world than that little corner
of fConnemsrs, before she was allo ed to choose
her future husband; remember she will have
to keep him for life"


~ hope the choosing ptccs ass won't go on in.
definitely she seems by some occult sffnities
to draw all the most inane young men in Lon.
don together to choose from"


They don't come to court you, sir, that's


why you ind them so inane. Ii you grumble
1 shall attribute your i'm patience to the came
cause that made Goldsmith indignant with


crowd for looking at pretty woman in hotel


window instead of st himself"


II should not have thought. madam, that
you would encourage the pretty woman to
gather the Gro wd to look at her."


well, be patient, the dissipation ID working
its own cure. She is tiring of it herself. / can
give you proof. She has not seid one word
| Trr hfa


much as looked at it, as far as my knowledge
goes. since it came home"


"You call that something to be thankful for:


and last year at this time she was content to
lead rstional life without q thought of balls


and ball dresses, and had grown Sd fond Of
country pursuits that You toCnd it hard to
drag her away. You ought to be ashamed Of
your work"


"Hom!-if coun tey pursuits had been the at
| traction-but know you choose to be blind,


SO where is t he use of arguingf Lst me have
sufficient time for my experiment in my turn,
and if fail l will yield with good grace.
Give Us your countenance for few weeks long.
er, and then if Lesbia has not meanwhile be-


come engsged to Marmadoke Pelham, and if


she continues to give little wistfoi hints about
wanting to return to Castle Daily, promise
to leave off thro wing cold water on her plans.


and frownipg down her hsttering attempts at
COD ptidences."


"She hiss been giving hints, and you have
been frowning her down with little hoard OF
maxims-you strong minded worldiing"
Yes, for the present and am sure am
| right. If / had any onhdence in the stability
| of her preferences, or if knew for certain
| which Of the young DAILY brothers her thoughts
| turned to, l should be less impiacable; but
| while, SO far as can make out, she is unde-


cided between the two of them, and when one
| is such hair Drained young fellow ss Connor,


l am sure do right in preventing her from
! giving her feelings shape By speaking of them.
| Imagine what it would be to have her engaged
| to a man, or rather 3 boy of wo.and-twenty,
| who was involved in o conspiracy, and liable


to be taken up and tried for treason, and hang
| ed, or transported for life. She would think
| it very romantic for month or so; bat II


would hardly be for her haPEiness. She had


better be safe and dull with Msrmaduke Pei
| ham,"


| 'sBut is it really a toss-up which of these
| three men she msrriesf l must say don't
| profess to understand sach gossamer feelings
| and must leave the management to you. In


such a case should think it signified very lit
I | tie what happened
| "It signifies that she should get the most re-
liable man of he three for her husband; and IN.
| iustics to Lesbis, 1 mnst ask yon to remembef
| that am not describing her feelip S5, only my
own state of puzzle about them. Perhaps she
herself could give us q much more straight
for ard story Of her be art if she chose. wish
to night, for once in your life. you would come
in to the drawing roam to notice what ls going
on, inst taad of to draw knot OF men into


corner and talk politics. l want you to tell me
YOUR impressions of Lssbia's manner when we
are alone"


CTo be continuedJ