Where was the use now of her good resolutions? Where was the use of trying to enter in at the strait gate when it clanged in her face? It was the cruelest, silliest stoppage that ever was.

CHAPTER XXX.

COLONEL AYTOUN'S DINNER-PARTY.

WEEKS now slipped by almost unmarked in the neighbourhood of Eastworld.

Mr Smith's disappearance and Helen Tolleton's sprained ankle had ceased to be two nine days' wonders.

The Sauffrendens were talking of their Easter party; Captain Wellwood growing daily more interested in the spring meetings; Dr Hunt reaping a small harvest of relaxed throats; and Mr Rodney doing all he could to induce people to keep Lent.

There was certainly little going on to lead the flock astray.

"We must have Rosy down at Easter," said Lady Sauffrenden to her husband, "as the Aytouns stopped her coming at Christmas. Shall you see her to-morrow?" "I can, easily; I shall go there to luncheon. Phil wants to see his old chum Holker, so he can go to him." "Is Philip going up with you?"

"Yes. He was going the end of the week, but I got him to make it to-morrow, not to let me go alone."

He never liked to go anywhere alone. If he had not Milly, he must have somebody. Milly, as a rule, avoided the London days, and therefore he was constantly on the strain inventing reasons for inveigling other people thither.

With Captain Wellwood he succeeded best, with the curate worst. Mr Rodney could not be brought to see that a clergyman was conferring a positive benefit on his parish by becoming a member of the University Club.

Now it curiously happened that one of the first people whom the two friends encountered as they left Paddington Station, was Colonel Aytoun.

The Colonel had on his best smile, and instead of responding to their cool and hasty, "How are you's?" by one of the same nature, he stopped, and held out his hand. "You are the best people in the world to come across, you two. I have just seen your neighbour Smith, come back from his travels, and engaged him to dine with me to-night. Come and meet him. Lorrimer will be with us too. Smith is at their house."

"Of course we will; very glad to come. No engagement, eh, Philip? What's your hour? Eight?"

66

"Confound me! I could have bitten my tongue out for every word it spoke!" cried he, afterwards. Why did you not stop me, you old good-for-nothing? I looked to you, and you wouldn't say a word to help me out. There's an end of our snug evening. How could you let me, Phil?"

"My dear fellow, how could I not? What could I say? You had your acceptance cut and dried while the invitation was hardly in being," said Philip, sulkily.

"My acceptance! What is my acceptance? You know well enough I never can refuse. I had to make it the heartier because I was racking my brain all the time to try and remember some excuse. You might have seen that.” "I saw it plainly enough."

"Well, why did you not help me, then?" "Simply because I couldn't."

"To meet Smith too!" said Sauffrenden, fuming.

"As

if I cared to meet Smith! I never wish to see him again.

I consider he has used that poor girl exceedingly ill, and she lying there, on her sofa, all this time!"

"You don't suppose she is pining for him?" said Philip, sarcastically.

"That's not his business.

cares.

She might be, for all he

I wish that Aytoun was at

-and Lorrimer too!

What can make Long George go to him?"

Perhaps, like us, because he could not get off." "Such a party as we shall be ! "

"Humph!"

I have

At his age

"I shall be very cold to Smith, I can tell you. no idea of a fellow playing tricks of that sort. he ought to know better."

"Do you want this hansom?"

Well, yes-we had better. That vile dinner has spoilt our whole day!"

Colonel Aytoun might have heard every word they said without being much enlightened by it.

He knew as well as possible what to make of Lord Sauffrenden's abundant acceptance, and Captain Wellwood's gloomy face. It was not for their pleasure his hospitality › was proffered. He had his own ends in view, and to further them this chance meeting appeared the greatest piece of luck in the world.

Mr Smith had only returned to England a few days before, but Colonel Aytoun had been on the look-out for him. His professions of esteem were louder than ever. He would take no refusal. "Mrs Aytoun would be quite indignant with him if he went back to the Abbey, and told her that their old friend would not come near them."

Not to offend him, they had to accept. Sir George did not care. To him Colonel Aytoun had never shown his cloven hoof, and he thought other people painted him blacker than he was. He agreed to go with indifference.

The object of the meeting was a simple one. It was to afford Aytoun an opportunity for putting an effectual bar between Mr Smith and Helen. Sir George Lorrimer's presence was indispensable, for Sir George, when appealed to, would be unable to deny what was to be alleged-nay, he would be forced to yield his testimony to the truth of the statements. But the addition of Lord Sauffrenden and Philip Wellwood to the party was beyond what could have been hoped for.

He almost shook with satisfaction. He trembled lest the delicious cup should by any chance slip through his fingers. He counted the half-hours of the day.

"One of papa's friends indeed, Miss Helen! I wish you may not repent having one of papa's friends for one of your enemies!"

Of all her taunts, this had rankled in his bosom deepest. Thus it was that our dear, good, humble-minded friend, who fancied himself the solitary keeper of his secret, and was doing his best to crush it out of his heart, and hide it out of his sight, was all at once in the company of three other men, each of whom knew something of the same, and not one of whom knew the truth.

The dinner passed off as well as could have been expected. The host, although he scolded and scowled at the attendants, smoothed his brow, and oiled his tongue, ere he addressed any of his guests.

The early delicacies of the season were set before them, and had it not been for the company of their entertainer, the other four might have enjoyed themselves very comfortably.

Lord Sauffrenden indeed did his best to show disapprobation as he shook hands with Mr Smith, and even walked round to the other side of the table to avoid sitting next him. But then Sauffrenden's disapprobation was always so mild, that it might well be doubted if it was observable to any one but himself. Captain Wellwood certainly did not second him.

He had never been hearty in his reprobation of the culprit, and an imaginative person might have conjectured that he was almost too well inclined to be lenient. He warmly welcomed his neighbour home to Old England. again, and hoped they should soon have him back at the Hill. Sauffrenden frowned at such mistimed, superfluous cordiality.

It was not till the wine had circulated twice that Colonel Aytoun thought his time had come.

They were none of them drinkers; temperance was one of his own few virtues, therefore they would not sit long. Sooner, however, it would not have been wise to begin.

His cheek slightly flushed when the pause came for which he had been waiting, but no one would have suspected the effort with which that jaunty tone began.

"By the way, Smith," said he, "you left a sad reputation behind you among the good folks down at your place, when I was there at Christmas. Whew! They were all up in arms. A hornet's nest. Really, you know, it is time for you and me to be giving up these little amusements. It's all very well when one is young, but you gay bachelors never know when to stop."

"He's going to catch it now," thought Sauffrenden, deeply interested. "Serves him right! I'm glad I came !" Mr Smith inquired what the reputation was that he had left. His thoughts reverted to Miss Fulton, hints about the Admiral having already reached his ear. He was

annoyed, but not discomposed. He did the lady justice, she had never thought of him.

"You disclaim it, eh?" continued the Colonel, jocosely as before. "But that's of course. There she is, you know, drooping away; never left her room since you deserted her, and only whispering to her very, very intimate friends how shamefully she has been treated; and how she feels she can never have the heart to leave her chamber again; never go out to see that beautiful place, that fine house that she had set her soul on being the mistress of!"

"You are still talking in enigmas, Colonel. The only lady who has been confined to the house since I left—at least, so I was sorry to hear from Sir George-is Miss Tolleton. Her sprained ankle has been a more serious affair than any one would have dreamt of."

"He's in for it now!" chuckled Sauffrenden, again. "I'm glad I came !"

"So it's a sprained ankle!" replied Aytoun, lifting his eyebrows. Never heard it called by that name

before."

"Ah!

"I hope," said Mr Smith to Philip, "that it is well by this time?"

That's to say, she can't get off the sofa yet,
Great stuff, you know."

"Oh yes. the doctor says. "The whole thing, of course," said Colonel Aytoun, we know better, don't we, Smith? What's a sprained ankle but a pretty little make-believe to shut people's eyes?"

"Coarse brute!" thought Sauffrenden, disgusted. "I'm sorry I came."

"Miss Tolleton," said Mr Smith, trying to speak unremarkably, "is so far above such insinuations, that Colonel Aytoun can be only in jest, but it is safest not to jest with a lady's name.”

"In jest! Never was more serious in my life!" cried he, with an air of protesting. "It's the talk of the neighbourhood; and some say, though of course that we don't give in to, that a certain good friend of ours did not behave exactly as he ought on the occasion."

"The talk of the neighbourhood, Colonel Aytoun, is very often merely the talk of the person recounting it." "Well hit!" murmured Sauffrenden. "Glad I

"Well, if you won't believe me, ask any one here. I