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‘ram Unthinking young ladies who estimate 3 man I his ekill in steering :hem though a crowd- l_ll __-_. 1.. - Lâ€"ngel‘ln-n Anon/llama n. mink. wane. He had not even two hundred a year thine himself with; only a hundred and ‘ ty, which wee not enough to provide real! and cheeee for every day in the week; the made it a point to dine out an often an ll frlende gave him the opportunity. which II about eix times a week in the reason. on Ice. he was a useful man. and people we glad to invite him. He looked well, lwaye had plenty of small talk. knew the Iton dit, and the newept scandal; flirted ell. but not too openly ; eaid pretty thinga lit-he really meant them; and looked un- tterable things, aa if he carried all hie cart and eoul about with him: whereae, rally and truly. he had very little soul and D heart at all. He wee a clerk in the Foreign Oflioe. and In eon of Colonel Gainemere. of Gainemere ’erk. and two or three other placeeâ€"all mtgeged to the teeth. He was the fourth on, I0 you can gueea pretty accurately what do pro-pacts were, especially ae hie family me not a rich one, had outrun the coneta hand had been obliged to withdrew from he galtiea of London for a year or two. while lolonel Gainemere'e town-house wee let to a hanger, end Ralph wee left to the tender aereiee of his friende. Itold you that Balph Galnamere had no and the reason war, not that Nature forgotten to endow him with oneâ€" atnre had not been at all atlngy in any way himâ€"but almply this, that he gave it one annny June day, at Lord'e Cricket and, while the Cambridge men. remem- their defeat on the Thamee, were ob- g ite memory with victory at St. ‘ ’a Wood. It wae the aecond day of the vâ€"â€"â€" -v, [hell-room in a breathless deuztemps. might In thought “hernias. but in the opinion I the use and prudent Ralph Gninemero [Inot 5 each: Oh. dear 119! not by my molly curled about with him ; not that he the Illghteet intention of watching the . He wee much too indolent, end the nether wee much too hot. [or such on exer- Ion. 110 new n number of lecee he recogr lined on the Grend Btend. end e vacant rent; I! he hectened to fill it, end prepared to take hinge comfortehly. someone in the row of eeete immediately drove him touched hie shoulder with a tan. Ind he looked up. “ Oh. Lady Mery l" he crled. “ I did not now you were in town." “ Yea. we come up et Easter, but we have been at Brighton lor the Whitenntide holi- h’lc We hnve returned now for good. Demenp n Itep higher, there la n eeet here [know how good nntured you ere. end I went toexplnin the match to Gertie. Cher- ietoobuey marking the rune to telk. Ind ehe le the only one who undentende the lone." ’ He geve e mentel groen ee he thought how the enterprising mother and her flock M euddenly preyed upon him ; but he you lnetently, nnd eew looking up et him eweeteet, lreeheet, mcet innocent. dlike leee he hed ever beheld ; thet ol girl of leventeen; e lace I0 pure end thet it puzzled you todiviuehowite ‘ r would ever grow old or ehnnge, end a rejected the notion thet ehe would do. n en __A_.__ .1 AL- â€"A.IA 'r‘wo LONDON SEASONB. â€"- ml Mia: I. E. Braddon'a Mistletoe Bough.) PART I. v-J °â€"-- n..- eter stronger et Lord’s then et elmost rother exhibition in Venity Feir. hiph took e dey’s leevo. and strolled ll" trom his clubâ€"that club which wee ll, thernin 0! him, from the expenses Dlhich it led himâ€"to St. John's Wood, d his money end welked in. He did not 'eeviolent interest in the geme; but it I the correct thing to show up et Lord's. I he showed up. He pessed the little at at betting men neer the entrence. I mess ol cerrieges end the ldlers o {ringed the crowd clustered M the ring. struggled on through the nutrientsâ€"who were not then excluded‘ m the ground-peeled the chstting.‘ Idling groups, who, heving disposed their pigeon pies end chempegne, were oiling round the ring, which hed just been and tor the game to recommence efter the tern] for luncheon ; bowing to one, end lyingto speek to enother. for the fourth n 0! the Geinemeres knew neerly every one the leshioneble world. and e greet msny t o! it. Then there wee enother berrler of rrieges to pus. end e denser crowd to get rough ; end he emerged close to the Grand end. end stood for e moment looking over I people’s heeds et the two elevens i then Itmed end spoke to some more people he new. end bought e cord and tumbled in his eket for e little telescope pencil-cue he Ebo‘vw'ozn 61â€"0 "tw'o universitieaf Every mu there. 01 course; and the number 01 it, girl: wu 3110130: _thm ever, {or they -, .1.-_ -A _I_-_L Inter nullâ€"cues behind We out med: 0:: we rode. roam the wind. Till we no filde by elde. Neither gains- Why not die '2 Still we held to the reins, She and I. Oh i the turf. how it rang To our swede. AI they need and they sprang o’er the meada! Oh i the woods and their gold, , On the day When the reins from our hold Slipped away! lilo had I you: no. . Tech 5 ride ' Through the wind through the wow id. by “do Thm the fog. through tho Ionâ€" ury thud lâ€" o a 0d stud than "fié’flmma? 8110 um I rode asunâ€" Pluunt dtum [- slulor hondl on the min By I. strum : “we! mm. never Ihowouâ€" .. .WhY “99."91 ". .. Throulh the mono. through the torn, Throu h the heat- ’No|u_\_1ho [3 us. by the burn, mung Firm In uniâ€" Booy- -chukodâ€"" Lite on- death 1" II our cry. 0.110ng now out of breath. o and l. I" ‘vvww vâ€"v _.v pp lino s {uhiombh womsn of the world «ml, havoc-Mo. The id“ that $0, [Id our tum Into a woman's lace u all .01! Ihlrd; It wu certainly one which M Ion remain a child’s. A dlmphd. not In . nee, whh Mo redlipl pmod » . lullo. md “to lo“ brown pluding Kain: throu h 8um flower- ud by up: Lovo'b G-Itop. 1m: 1185‘! BIASON . 03», Im- bony white "do. and long. droopln‘g‘guhu. _Btlph_ shin-men VII 5 . , A_1__I__....sllnl Ilvvruu. .IUU-vw- -vâ€" _. __v men 0! the world. need to eeeing beautiful women looking thelt but even do: in the week; he hed peeled. perhepe, lovelier women without even looking book; but thie lteeh young hoe end ehlid’like emile. end the pleeeed reedineu with which the girl looked up to teoeive him. won him tor ever. and mode the bout he kept l0 eereinlly hidden give a wilder thtob then it hed done einee yeere beiore when he heard how Mend Hemilton hed bolted with Vere Stacey oi the Guetde. " Yon hove not mu my youngen doughnu- before. Mr. Gain-mere 7" Lady 11er re- muked no he took the veeent eeet. “ She is no: one yetâ€"not properly I0. u lean; we intend to keep her back till next you. So kind of you to tell ere ell the points. She wented to come so much; her eoneln, Berry Weybrook. is one o! the eleven.” LANA-1A....J LA- AA‘II‘II "’ thnahl Rnlnh. “Contound her cousin I" thought Ralph. amused a Lady Mary trennng her dong hter no it ehe were on intent. when he goonld remember um the eldeet Mien Wey brook had been exhibited as bell, andy ronr and flower-show. long before arriving et Gertle'e ego. Gertie did not want much telling; she knew the belt was end points 0! the game perfectly. “ Who taught you cricket ?" he caked “Hwy taught me, but I do not know much about it. I can bowl 3 little. though ; nnderhend. you know.” she added with no idea of showing off her knowledge oi the game: “_but I don't do it very well." “ No. I would think not.” he laid, looking down at the little, plump. whlto bonds. which seemed so if they could hardly hold a ball, much less throw one. There was nothing very alarming in this. nothing alarming in what followed. Words of wit and wisdom do not fall irom the lips of sweet seventeen as pearls fell ltom those 0! the girl in the fairy etoryJ Yet he set by her during the rest of that eunny after- noon. talking to her. pointing out the men who played best. and the most notable peo- ple who had come to see them ; patronising her and admiring her; talking a llttle urandly. and feeling, he could not tell why, strangely interested in the soft eyed. bright- iaeed girl who listened to all he said, almost deferentially. and looked up at him with confidence in the wisdom of his remarks, and without one thought 0! ooquetry or al- lactation. “ You must come and see us olton, Mr. Gainsmere; drop in without any cera- mony; we shall be so glad.” Lady Mary said. remembering that Gainamere was a metal man. und knowing that ho was a perfectly Info 9no._ .n- ,uIAAAQJ " I shall be delighted. I am sure." he said politely and sincerely. though two hours he- iore he would have made an inward grimace at the idea of being dragged about in the train of the “ Waybrook breed,” as they were called. He had been a conetant visitor for- merly. but had fallen off during the last year or two. The attractions 0! the Waybrook mansion were not wonderful. in epite of the three grown-up daughters. and Lady Mary was in want of “ working men.” The men who came to her partiee. but did not even dance. only stood crowding up the doorway, were all very well to look at. but no earthly nee beeidee; eo ehe congratulated hereelt upon picking up Balph again; he was one of a number 0! the very kind of men ehe wanted sadly. without having any aeriona de- aigne on themâ€"a man who was perfectly safe. good-looking. and gentlemanly ; could dance. flirt. talk, play. aing. do any- thing. in fact, and. moreover. wee ready to fallback at any time. it a bigger and more important fieh nibbled at the hooke which had so long been_ paeaed_ hy. Then. too, ehe reflected, ehe did not wieh to bring Gertie forwerd till the next year; but it wee no longer poeeible to keep her in the wheel- room or the nureery, end it wee e comfort to find eome one who would telk to her end form her mennere ee ineeneibly ee compenionehlp with e refined men doee form e women‘e mennere. end who would, it he admired her, end he very evidently did eonnd her preieee end herald her ebont next yeer; end all the time ehe reflected with eetieiection thet hie ettentione were eiweye eo generel. end thet he wee each e eeie menl Every one knew the Weybrooke. Mr. Weybrook wee a little. screwed-up looking man. whom Ledy Mery hed married et‘ eight-end twenty, elter ehe had thrown away her beet ohenoee.end hed not many bed onee lelt ; etlll they got on very well together,end ehe wee now one of the meet euterprielng mothere ol the eeeeon, though not by any meene the moat eueeeeelul. Somehow her girle did not “ take." Three 0! them hed ehe brought out. one alter enother ; but not one of them had " gone 03." There wee nothing out of the ordinary way about them: per- hape that wee it; no reason whateVer for their being one whit more popular then two thirde of the reet o! the girle in eooiety. They were much too well brought up to look at poor man end eettle down ee ordinary‘ neelul whee: end, to_do the poor men justice. they nevor tried to in- duce any one of them todepart from the way in which they had been brought up. With regard to those men who were well 01!, and good matches, they expected something bet- ter ier their money. Therh are two reasons why men of position and meansâ€"and who are. therelore, thoroughly independent of these advantages in a womenâ€"marry; first ior love; secondly. because they want some one to head their table. receive their friends, and give a inundation to their establishment. ‘ Now. the Way brooks were not by any means ‘ girls to be married for the first reason; and for the second they would have looked just as well st the top of a table or the entrance 0! a drawing room as too thirds of the other young women in society whom they so closely restmbled. but not one atom better; and il a man is not in love he is apt to he lastldious. and besides. it is the very laudable ambition of most men that their wives should look, not only as well, but better. than any one else’s; and up to this standard the Waybrooh girls did not reach ; thereiore. as Reggie Bates. who aspired to being considered the funny man of his set. observed. “Alter being trotted out every year, and going through their paces in It creditable but not remarkable manner. they returned to their respective stalls without finding owners.” MTho fourth Ind lIIt dI ughtor, Gortrnde. "I the redeeming polnt II reg Irdod the hunt, Ind lIuolnItion of tho {Imslly .thongh her state" could not no it, Ind ll ythoy hId noon it. would not tho and it lor the world. She In {our art onngor thIn tho third “in Wberoo, I glr tut develop- lng lnto I woman in thought Ind fooling, yet Itlll I child in lace. Ind mInIIr. n4 hurt . dovolopln' into .0” ol thou women to when every eeonnd men loeu hie heart. end every third women eweere 'eternel friend-hip. She! hit her face heuutiusly in your memory now. end it the door oi your heut wee open could creep into it end oloee it alter her; and thin wee whet Ralph Geinemere tound out otter he bed at by her side talking little oommonpleoee and making illegible notee upon hie eeorlug liet during the Univereity match It Lord'e. He wee elweye nt the Weyhrooke alter the day he tint now her; elwnyu reedy to et- tend them to ball or party, item which the eweet lace end brown eyee were excluded; but then the prelude: were no pioneent. to: they ooneieted in dining with the lemily, and having ulterwerde a little (etc ad“: with Gertie. while her eirtere were arrang- ing their oloeke. or putting on In extre trin- ket_ior the evening. That Ralph Gainsmere. the fashionable man 0! the wotld. {ound those moments so dolighttul, no one suspected tor an instant; be was such a safe man, a child I “ Really. it was quite a blessing dropping upon Gainemere as I did, not having any man but your lather in the lamily." Lady Mary obeerved to her daughter. " It is snob an undertaking to chaperon three girls about â€"â€"it will be four soonâ€"without the sign 0! a man near them." “ And he is quite in his element," Sophy. the third girl, remarked. “His object in His seems to be to dwsdle about in society and make himsell generally useful to hrotherless girls. The best of him is, too, he never attempts to make love to one, or lets his attentions be too pointed or particular, which is such a comfort ;" though whether she believed in her own words is doubtful. A girl who has never been the object of remark. in consequence of the devotion of any one. is not always averse to attentions. however pointed. even lrom a "Detrlmental," especially when he is hand- some and gentlemanly. “ He is gory kind :3 take so much notice of Gertie," remarked Florence, the oldest girligpkipg pp {tom -h_er_bookf _ ' “'Why ie‘ it' very kind to take so much notice of me? ” asked Gertie. “I though“ he talked to me because hei liked doing so." “Men of the world like Ralph Gainamere are not given to falling in loveâ€"” her sister began. but Lady Mary interposed sharply: A " I wish you would not talk such nonsense. Florence. I consider Mr. Gainemere much too sensible and gentlemanly a man to take advantage in anyway of the confidence I re- pose in him. As for Gertie, she is. as yet. mucn too young to receive any attentions on coming those paid to her as a child, which Mr. Gainsmere naturally considers hex-L” Somehow this conversation about Ralph Gainsmere changed the current of Gertie‘s thoughts towards him, and she found hersell often wondering if he did consider her such a child as the others imagined ; and. above all, if he only talked to her to please her and not to please himself. “ He cannot care to talk to me !" she said to herself almost de- spairingly, and she thought humblyâ€"for a woman is always humble at heart, whatever she may be outwardly towards the man she really loves; and Gertie had learnt. within the last few months, to love Ralph Gains- mere, and to love him with that love so mixed up with admiration and ashamed surprise at her own feelings which a very young girl gives when shel loves for the first time, and loves a man older, and, as she knows, cleverer and wiser than herself. 80 she sat and thong ht humbly, that. after all, he pyrohabl did look upon her in the light of a 1);child yand then she remembered all his little grand, patron- izing ways, and not knowing that they con- stituted his general manner, thought they were. perhaps, only extended to her on accountâ€"of her youth. That he loved her she never for a moment conceived; she would have almost as soon have expected the sun and moon to admire her because she admired them as Ralph Gainsmsre to give her back the love she gave. The eummer peeeed on. the Bow was getting empty. the leet night oi the opera wee over. end the liet oi ieehioueble deo perturee deily growing longer. The Wey- brook girle hed gone through the fetiguee oi the eeeeon in their ueuel irreproecheble end uneucceeeiul menner, end were ebout to be- teke themeelvee to their enceetrel home, to weit patiently in the hope of better luck next time. ' Lady Mary had invited the Foreign Office clerk to epend e week or ten deye with them in the country when he felt eo diepoeed. To her eurpriee (for he hed pleaded very evident excueee on former ooceeicne) he accepted her invitetiou. end he wentâ€"went to find Gertie in her glory in the country, looking lovelier then ever in her ginghem gown end etrew ‘het. etrolling ebout the green lenee eud pleeeent fielde eioneâ€"ior it wee einguiar how thoroughly ehe accepted her poeition oi " quite e child ee yet.” 80 while the othere went out riding. or driving. or peying iormel vieite, Belph Geinemere wendered through the villege, or emcng the hille end delle oi Weybrook, with the ohildieh iace, which hed grown to be the deereet in the world to him, at hie eide. She wee so perfectly at home, too. in the country; ehe delighted in ite cherme; end knew every flower-haunted pethwey, every petch oi ehede end eunny nook ; end ehe welked by hie eide with the eun tenniug her ieee end her brown heir? hanging eereleeely over her ehouldere. telling him the hietory oi the trace they paeeed. end the nemee oi the dwellere in the white- weehed cattegee. end the deteile oi the children. end doge end pige end cocke end‘ hene appertaining to them, while he lietened grendly end petronizingiy end ehe looked up at him end thought whet condeeceneio'n it wee in him to do no. It never occurred to her thet he found ee much heppineee in thoee welke ee ehe hereeli did. She never once divined how he inwardly groened over hie poverty, end could heve epent e liietime ee he epent thoee ten days et Weybrook. They eeme to en end et leet ; but etili he remeined. He wee eo neeiul thet Lady Mary wee delighted to keep him, end he made himeeli eo univereelly egree- ebie, thet he wee the liie end cool of the petty; not but whet once or twice her lady- ehip wee rather eetoniehed when he went oil for e country welk with Gertie. ineteed oi joining the othere. Still. thet it would come to euvthing never entered her brein. Bolph Golmmere realised hla pomlon at hot. He. the luhlonoblo “Dottimontal.” who never Ind o tight-down Ion mm In his 1m. hud 10“ hi! hurt to o ohlld o! uvontoon. o 31:! who 1nd not oven one. son. ‘htongh tho tontino of I lemon, no no hoirou, for tho Woyhrook loads won mien, mulled on molt luluâ€"hm no prestige, nun u n tubionublo bounty : noih- in; bub her bub, (so. sad plowing btown oyu : I child who united by hi- uido in iho country luau. hiking to him about flown. had tron. had Iontimentai poetry. which he did not ovon give her credit to: nufiioiont tooling to undeniand. “ It won't do." nid he to himleli ; “I'm getting into en “in! scrape, ,1 must out Wnybrook;" but he stayed on. Still he made an efiort; he did not‘ go nee: Gertie tor deye. nvolded her henntl, end eon- trived to escape nlmoet irom walking to her; but he found the task hinder then he lied anticipated. and he made up his mind to do whet he felt wee the only honor- able eourle leit to him, depnrt {or Geinemere Pink. “ Dent little girl.” he sold to himself the day belore 'neleit. no he Itrolled elmoet unconsciously toward". woody pert ol the Weybrook gtonnde where he had oiten been with her. “I wonder how long it will take her to target me 7" Suddenly he new a little figure in the dietnnoe, sitting down on the olnmp o! n tree among the rabbit hole; end leded leavesâ€"n little girl sitting quite still. with her time hidden in her lap. “ Gertie I" he said. tutoring her Chr'utinn name for the fin: time to her moo. h Why, Genie. I nw some one in the distance, but I did not know it was you._" “ Because I do not want you to see it ;” but he leant down and pulled away the screening hcnda. and saw her eyes droop- ing, and the long lashes resting on her cheek. wet with tea", which struggled to oxeep down the dimpled lace. "I suppose you would not hnvo come it you had known?" she said. starting and poutingly turning away her face and pumug up h_e_r hands_ to hide it._ " No, perhsp a. I should not. he said. sitting down beside her, while all the good resoluiione he hsd made melied like ice in the sunshine. “Look round. What are you hiding you; lace {or 1" ,,,_ [A ,u "flit-116mm. you were offended," she said helplee‘ely. "It's three days since you spoke Iu luv. “ I: that why you were crying 7" he agked, kissing the “are away. " Child, I wonder why jt is I love ryo_u so much ?"_ “ Love me 7" she answered. raising two frightened. wondering eyes to his. Do you love me 7“ She was as much as- tonished as if the Emperor of China had suddenly sent over proposals {or her hand. It had seemed as impossible, and utterly out of the question, that Ralph Gaiusmere should condescend to think at her, as that the statue opposite Apsley House should get of! its horse and kneel at her feet. She was one of those women who are content to love hopelessly and helplessly, worshipping their guiding star from an immeasurable distance. “ You really love me 7" she whispered, afraid even to say the words in her natural voice, - " Yes, Childie. I think I do.” “ Oh I” And she gave a sigh which was almost pain in its excess 0! happiness. i " But. Mr.â€" ." she said presently, and etc p.ped {or she could not somehow give him his formal title now. “ To whom were you about to speak ?" he aekeg grandly. 2 To you, of courseâ€"there’s no one else. is there i" casting a hurried glance over her shoulder lest there should be an‘ appreciative audience in the background. ‘ " Then call me by my name, darling." And he waited; but the word her heart had learnt months before. her lips shyly refused to say. To call that grand, patron- ising individual. who condescended to love her. and to tell her so. by his Christian name i It seemed almost sacrileneâ€"she would as soon have addressed the Archbishop of Canterbury in like manner. " I can't 1" she said. at last-" or not yet 1" Then he laughed, and smoothed her hair, while she dropped her head down on his shoulder for a moment and forgot to he horrified or ashamed at its being thereâ€"it seemed so like her natural restlng-placeâ€"a home she had unconsciously been seeking (or all her life and suddenly lonnd at_last. " 0h!"ehe_e_ei:1:r'i‘lsn’t it Juadtnl to be so hsppy 7" . " Perhaps you'll have the goodness to in- form me why ?" he enquired in his most lofty tone. “ Because it would be so dreadful to lose it I” .Vuv -- . She referred to her happiness; but she wee too confused to be strictly grsmmetical â€"he perleefily pnderstperl her. .- n,,I,Aa Huc-v-v- ____-_ “VOhildle!” he said, turning the flushed face up to his. and looking into the fright oned bprown eyes. " You shall never lose it, if I can 1191p “â€"130": l" - Lady Mary could scarcely believe her ears when, as she sat on a retired coin in the drawing-room alter dinner that evening, Ralph Gainsmere, the " sate man." asked her consent to his marriage with her youngest daughter. She reinsed it, of course. She was astonished that Mr. Gain-mere could for one moment think of such a thing, consider- ing his unsatisfactory position. and the extreme youth of her daughter; but the “Detrimental” was not eaeily nbashed. Moreover. just at the right moment. Mr. Waybrook came to the rescue. ,Now, though Lady Mary’a husband had no absolute will of his own, he had some influ- ence; and having learnt by personal experience that atlluenoe does not necessarily bring happiness, and having had no Oppor- tunity of testing the joys and sorrows of poverty. and liking Ralph al a leaeant and agreeable man. he did not vio ently oppore the proposal, but auggeeted that they ehonld let the matter rest. and talk it over in the morning. - a , n,.,.r, .__a!..-1 A- HIV] ulu'u Thll agreed upon, when Gertie retired to dream over her new happiness. Ledy Mary took her three daughters Into her confidence, and they all proved advocates in favor of Geinemere'e oteim. U.IIIUIIIIVIV I: '-â€"-â€"â€"- It was the first offer in the family. and. perhaps. the example was one which might be followed with Advantage to themselves. Besides. though it told vety considerably against their own stlractlons. thst the ques- tion of mntrimony_shonld he first discussed 7~___...-_A vavu v- -â€"â€"..-â€"â€"~, ' in the family with regard to the youngest daughter. still it was gradually being forced upon their consideration that next year they would have to hide their diminished heads while Gortie triumphantly raised hers. However. Gertie Waybrook. a new beauty and freeâ€"and Gertie Weyhrook, however new and attractive. engaged to a man of no brilliant prospects or positionâ€"were two entirely diiIerent beings; and the result was that in the morning. very much to his surprise and relief. Ralph Gainsmere was informed that provided he would wait W _-....-_A- I: .. ol":"3'£‘ nrui'o Tahiti. mugomonp, an hop tho ufldr “out to: Iomoflmo. ho mum oonudu himsell amazed to the own" at tho brown oyu whloh bud am not his own It Lord'l Orlokn Ground. He realized the mm ohuu. hm Indy Mary was nun. und 313d to pin hlu pain“ on my groundl. ho guo way and doputed on we (allowing dsy ‘hoxoughly “ti-fled with hll petition. “ll eny one better does come in the wey." thought Ledy Mary. “ it will be very any to break it 01!. u no one ie ewere that it even exlete. end I iew eentlmentel lettore end oooeeionel vieite irom him will not breek her heert, if nothing com,” 0! it. I wonder it. with 3 little clever menegement,. Mr. Dalton would merr Florence? Hie living is worth twelve bun red eoyeermnd he- muet hove e private income. I know. With one good marriege in the temily. I could afford to let Gertie welt end take her chance loreomething better." For two or three months the engegement proapeted. end Relph ,Gelnemere leernt lo think the little ecented notee. in eeplkey handwriting. wllh the epelllng eometimee: uncertain, and the summer often doubflul,. the moat. precioue prodnellone he hed ever eeen, end eent lmle petronislngly eflectlonew epleuee in reply, which Genie received. end read. end re reed. end treeenred in e wey only a women knowe end only e women een nn- dereeend. 80 the "Detrimontal‘n" love um: pml- pared till the winter; than. one mowing, just as he was thinking the Wuybrooh would be In town soon {or Christmu. the romance endedâ€"~ended with t1mlo. blouod, ten-Itnnedletmr. which run than: " My Dun RALPH: " This is the laat letter I ahall ever send you, for I think it is heat. for ransom which mamma underatanda better than I do. that our engagement should end. I am ante you will (org ive me it I have caused you any pain. and I ahall always hope you will be very happy. He could scarcely believe his eyes; he looked at the little note satin and agein, almost stunned, and examined the tear. stained words minutely. to see it it could be really Gertie’s own writing; but there was no mistake about it. Then he reed e formal. letter from Lady Mary. which came by the same post ; then again looked at poor Gertie's production, which had Been written while her- hand shook and her tears could not be restrained. " Poor little girl!” he “id bitterly. “The mother has done it. of course. She ween deer little thing; but she had not character enough to resist her mother and act for herself. Well| it is no use kicking against Fete, I supnoee." He took up the morning paper; but he could not reed. the letters danced before hie eyes, till every one of them epelt only one wordâ€" Gertie. 8nd- denly 3 name caught his eyes, anti he reed :: “ We understand that a marriage in ar- rang ad between the Hon. and Reverend Grant Dalton, of Rectory. and the eldeej daughter of Mr. and Lady Mary Way- brook. of Waybrople Manor." " " I understand It now." he nid. " My lady's spirits and expectations are raised." PART 11. The London season came round again. Ralph Gainemere was still the irreproaebable- “ Ddtrimentsl ;” but people remarked that be was alittla quieter and a little graver than formerly. He hung about doorways more and danced less; his attentions. too. were even more general; and his manner some- times a little cynical. Another remark- able tbing. too, was. he made himseli more agreeable to middle aged women than to young ones. . ‘ nas...e e a, ,ns, a " Girls are such fearful llttle humbnge,” he remarked to Reggie Bates, the funny man. “I wouldn‘t believe in one of them, not if she looked like an angel I" “ Probably not; you'd prefer humanity. " “ I don‘t mean that. " lm patienuy. “ I mean there is not a woman in the world I'd trust.” -_ :Been crossed in love ? " asked Bates, guessing much nearer the truth than be im- aglned. "No; certainly not. I only make the re- mark en E generaLgne.” "Ohl I see. Why don't you taken low deye’ leave. and get a mouthlul of treeh air and an eyetul 0! gram? 1 am going down to Weybrook {or a day or two before Lady Mary brings up her brood nexz week." " Hm the country ! " Gaiuamero replied. “ Too much of an exquisite to care abou‘ can end um sort of thing ? " Reggie elked provokingly. ‘ n. ,l,,,., H A A‘,' “ No, not at all ; but I prefer town at this time 0! year. How is it the Wayhrooke are I0 late in making their appearance? They usually ehow up in February." '- Why, you see. Lady Mary is triumphant â€"not in each a violent hurry this year. With one daughter about immediately to make a very fair match. and another who has hook- ed eo big a fish as Clayton. she can afford to rent on her can a little while.” " Another ?:whioh ?-â€"I menu which daugh tar has hooked Claytqn ?" _ _ A ill" "III! 11an Usn’w "Oh! didn't you know? It is a little one they always kept under lock and key in town, lest. being younger and prettier than her sisters. she should throw them in the shade. and make them look antiquated. In the country, however, she went roving about, doing the wood-nymph business, and Clayton's place is only a low miles off; so he came across her in a ramble. renewed his acquaintance at the Manor. proposed. which was quite unexpected. he being a confirmed old bachelorâ€"your imagination can picture the rest. I having exhausted mine for your amusement." " But is it really true ?" “ True! Yes, and will take place the first week in August. vidc Court Circular. The other sister is to he married at St. George‘s next month. Lady Mary has found the country a better speculation than town this time. Dalton was caught down there; only £15"ch "hang 7n? Karim" ; lnoky' theâ€"y caught him the first year; they wouldn't have done it the secondâ€"ho would have gravy} more "Hui.” ,_ I,-_ “All 1’-)â€" “‘-fl I Wu mvnv Inn-n-.. T'Yoo. the country has paid Lady Mary this time," Ralph quill ghaonfily. , â€"__ _-_Al-' A- 'ulu III-avg Ave-Irâ€" _â€"-â€". "i “ Yes," answered Bates. who wes psrtisl to the sound of his own Voice ; " it‘s s much better trsp then town li mothers would only understsnd it. Men get tired of seeing girls night eiter night st hell or opere. sud dsy slter dey in the Bow or drive. sll looking eoleely ellke, iron the out and dried an!» is expression of their ieees to the psttern at their dresses; but in the country. where they esn eflord to be more netursl. reesonsble hours end irssh sir do s little ior them; they I}!!! 8300!“) BEABON. “ Yours sincerely, “ Guano Du Wnnnoox."