dryly that it takes two to make a quarrel, and that Trichy might possibly be in the right sometimes; and when I said I was sure she never was, he scolded me for speaking so disloyally of my sister."

"And he was quite right," returned her governess, severely. "You ought to have known better, Edith." Dym put a stop to the conversation quite peremptorily, by insisting that it was time for her little charge to go to bed. She turned a deaf ear when Edith pleaded for further indulgence, and committed her remorselessly into Caroline's keeping, when that individual came to fetch her. Edith carried off some of the roses in revenge. Another time there would have been a playful scramble, but to-night her young governess was not in the mood. She contented herself with placing the remainder in water, and then sat down to her knitting again. "It takes two to make a quarrel," she said to herself, as she cast off rapid stitches on her needle; and perhaps if Guy Chichester had seen the puckered brow and involuntary frown at this moment, he might have avowed he was right.

Some two hours later, as the carriage set down the two ladies at the door of Lansdowne House, a tall dark figure, lounging against the railings, started forward and assisted them to alight.

"Why, it is Guy himself, I declare!" exclaimed a sleepy affectionate voice from the interior of the carriage.

Beatrix volunteered no welcome. "Mamma is very tired," was all she said, as she leaned lightly on her cousin's arm; and she swept past him up the steps in her white cloak. When they followed her into the inner drawing-room, they found her giving orders to her maid about closing the windows and bringing up the coffee. "You will have some in your dressingroom as usual, will you not, mamma?"

"Yes, my dear, I think so; but I have not yet spoken to Guy. My dear Guy, whatever brings you here so late tonight?"

"As usual, a whim, my dear aunt; but this is not my first visit. I have been well entertained by Edith, I assure you." "You have been here all the evening?"

Beatrix looked up sharply.

"You had better ask him, mamma, how long he has been up in town," she observed, with a little empressement.

Humph, my fair cousin; so that is the reason why your ladyship deigns to receive me so coldly," returned Guy, smiling mischievously. "Well, if I cared to evade your question, I I could well do so. I have been in town-that is, at the Westend-some six hours, two of which were spent at Lansdowne House; and I have been six weeks in a place not fit to mention in aristocratic ears, but certainly not twelve miles from London."

"I thought so," came in disdainful tones from Beatrix. "Besides

"Besides what? Don't spare my feelings."

"You were seen

"How shocking!"

"There is nothing to laugh at, Guy.

in and told us one day he had met you."

Colonel Delaire came

"Indeed! Was it in the Seven Dials or Camden Town?" "He did not mention the locality. He said you had your old shooting-coat on-I wish you would let me burn it—and looked rather as though you had fallen into the hands of the Philistines."

"My dear Beatrix, you know poor Frank was only laughing -you did look so shocked."

"Never mind, Aunt Celia; don't trouble yourself to apologize for me. Trichy knows I am a sad fellow-always in the hands of some Philistines or other; but it was mean of the colonel to show me up at headquarters."

"He thought we should be so pleased, dear Guy!"

"What! at hearing I was in the hands of the Philistines. For shame, Aunt Celia !"

"I wish you would not go on joking, Guy. You know mamma is dreadfully tired."

"That means I am to be silent, and that you are to go to bed, auntie; what a capital policeman you would make, Trichy; your very tone would make people 'move on.'

Miss Tressilian moved away somewhat displeased; it was never her way to retort on an impertinence; she held herself aloof quite stiffly, while Guy interchanged an affectionate good-night with his elder relative. Neither did she seem to see him till he took the seat opposite to her, and deliberately helped himself to some coffee.

"Where is Charlie ?" he asked, suddenly.

"At the opera; he will be in by and by." "All right; I will look in on him to-morrow. I must not stay now, I suppose ?"

"That's as you please. Mrs. Vivian will be down directly." "How many tame cats do you keep about the house?" asked her cousin, mischievously.

"Mrs. Vivian is a friend," returned Beatrix, in her most repressive voice. "She is in trouble, poor thing! and it came head to-night that perhaps mamma might make it worth her while to stay on as Edith's governess."

into my

"Edith has a governess, has she not?"

"Oh, yes-Miss Elliott; but she is going."

Indeed," observed Guy, in the very driest of tones.

"Yes, she will not do at all. She will insist on having her own way in everything, and spoils Edith dreadfully."

"Edith seemed very happy, and much stronger in health, I thought."

"Ah, Mentone did us all good, mamma especially. Don't say a word to her about Miss Elliott's going, please. She is dreadfully infatuated on the subject, and I have had difficulty enough to make her see things properly. Miss Elliott is just the deceptive sort of person that can creep into any one's good graces.'

"She has not crept into yours," muttered Guy.

No, because I have perception enough to read her truly. I never knew any one more unfit for a governess; she and Edith waste half their, time in childish romps."

"So much the better," was the gruff answer.

"And then she is so ill tempered-a perfect little fury when provoked."

Guy shrugged his shoulders. "Under no provocation, I suppose?"

Beatrix bit her lip. "You are so tiresome, Guy; there is no talking to you."

"Confess, Trichy, you are a little hard on her.'

No answer.

"And so the poor little thing must go?"

"If you cannot find anything more interesting to talk about, I shall leave you, Guy.”

"Not before Mrs. Vivian comes, I hope. How nice you look to-night, Trichy, with all those green waves, and puf

fings, and white water-lilies. If I were an artist I would paint you as Undine."

"Or any other soulless being, I suppose," returned Beatrix, who, for some reason or other, was in an evident ill humor.

"Ah, Undine got her soul afterwards; so will you, when you have an Huldbrand of your own. By the by, what's this between you and Frank Delaire?”

Beatrix flushed up to her temples, and turned away. "Ah, Undine, have I caught you?"

"Hush! here is Mrs. Vivian at last," as a brisk little widow, with dark restless eyes, and very airily attired, made her entrance. "You have been long enough making your appearance, Susan."

This is your

But

"I have been with dear Mrs. Tressilian. cousin, Mr. Chichester-Oh, yes, I remember him." Guy, who was subject to sudden sympathies and antipathies, replied very curtly to the lady's effusive greeting.

"I suppose it is no use waiting for Charlie any longer; he has gone in to supper somewhere," he observed, looking at his watch. "I have only ten minutes to spare, and you are tired, Beatrix."

"Not in the least. You know we are late people," was the careless answer, but she followed him into the outer room notwithstanding. On the threshold he stopped and took her hands.

"You had better tell me all about it," he said, with pleasant peremptoriness.

"About what?" But the tell-tale color began to rise again. "About Frank Delaire. Are you engaged to him, Trichy?" "I don't see what right you have to ask me that question," she replied, trying hard to resume her former cold manner. "What right! Am I not a man and a cousin?"

"I don't see what that has to do with it."

"Don't you ?"

"I

may choose to keep my own counsel." "Well done, Undine."

"Besides," trying to disengage herself, "I cannot see how my affairs can possibly interest you."

"It is sufficient interest to me to know that an honest fellow's constancy is to be rewarded by my pretty cousin's hand." "Pshaw! pray allow me to go back to Mrs. Vivian."

"Unhand me, sir; that was what you meant. There, you are free-only suffer me to make the remark that you are in a singularly unapproachable mood to-night."

A sudden glitter as of tears sprang to Beatrix Tressilian's

eyes.

“Because I am too proud to repose confidence where none is returned. Why should you consider you have the right to question me about Frank, when you refuse to answer a single question of mine ?”

"Frank! Now I am sure I have to congratulate you." "Don't. I hate congratulations."

"But is it really so, Trichy?"

"I suppose so," in a half-proud, half-melancholy voice. "Dear Beatrix, I am so glad," replied her cousin, affection-ately. "Frank Delaire is a capital fellow, and—

"And what?"

"He will have an awfully pretty wife." But Beatrix drew back with almost a defiant gesture.

"Don't, Guy. I will not have you say "Why should I not say

it ?"

that."

"Because I don't know! what are my looks to you? There, let us change the subject."

"With all my heart. Good-night, Trichy."

"Good-night. I suppose," catching her breath quickly, and not looking at him- "I suppose you are not rid of the old delusion yet, Guy?"

A quick contraction of the brow and a look of pain before Guy Chichester answered, "No, nor ever shall be;" and then somewhat abruptly he bade his cousin good-night.

B*