the contents of Sir John Gale's will. For
a moment the thought had flashed across
her mind that she would give up her
own claim, and allow the will to be put in
force in Maud's favour. If she made no
sign the will would be proved and executed
in due course. It was a wildly Quixotic
idea, she told herself in her calmer moments,
but it recurred to her again and again.
Yet it may be truly said that never for one
moment did the idea amount to an intention.
The result to herself of carrying it out
would be ignominy, obscurity, poverty.
Poverty! — No; that was beyond her
strength. Maud, she knew, could be happy
without pomp and wealth: happier without
them than their possession could ever
make her (Veronica). Yet she did not
deceive herself with the pretence that this
knowledge influenced her conduct.

"I am no canting hypocrite," she said to
herself.

It is a negative merit not seldom assumed
by those who find it desirable to feed their
egotism at all costs. And the implied
assumption is, " You, who do not act in
accordance with what you must feel— for do
not i feel it? — are canting hypocrites."

But despite everything, there was in
Veronica's heart a craving, hungry
desire to see Maud. Maud's had ever
been the one influence that had awakened
whatsoever impulses of good lay
dormant in the vicar's daughter. Even
when she had chafed against that influence
it had been, dear to her. And Maud alone,
of all the beings she had ever known, she
had loved unselfishly, and from her heart.
She shrank from the idea of seeing her
father as yet. She would like to go to him
victorious, assured, bearing a new and
illustrious title, whose blaze should efface
whatever dimness now overshadowed her
name. She knew, without reflecting much
about it, that by her father much might be
forgiven to the Princess de' Barletti which
could never have been pardoned to Veronica
Levincourt. But with Maud it was different.
She thought of Maud day and night, and
devised schemes for getting to see her,
which schemes, however, never took shape
in action.

Late in the afternoon of the day on
which Sir Matthew Gale had visited her,
Mr. Simpson arrived at her hotel. He
had come in all haste to be the first to
communicate to her the news of Hugh
Lock wood's statement. And he was
followed within a very few minutes by Mr.
Lane, who was bound on the same errand.

"Then," said Veronica, rising in an
excited manner, after having heard what they
had to tell her, " the cause is won!"

"I believe that I may safely congratulate
you, Lady Gale," said Mr. Simpson. " You
will assuredly meet with no opposition from
Sir John's family."

"And did Mr. Lockwood give this
decisive testimony voluntarily?"

"Oh, yes, my lady," said Mr. Lane.
"That, I must say, he did. Mr.
Lovegrove showed plainly enough which way
his feelings jumped in the matter. If it
had depended on him, we should have had
plenty of trouble."

"Mr. Lovegrove was doing what I
should have done in his place," said Mr.
Simpson, gravely. " He was endeavouring
to protect Miss Desmond's interests."

"Well, he might have done that without
being so bumptious. If it hadn't been for
not wishing to make trouble for my lady
and Sir Matthew, I would have given him
a good setting down!"

"Ahem! I have a great respect for Mr.
Lovegrove," said Mr. Simpson, in the same
slow, imperturbable manner.

During this talk, Veronica was standing
at the window, with her back to the two
men, and her hands pressed on her temples.
She was thinking of the strange chance
that had made Hugh Lockwood the arbiter
of her fate.

There are no limits to the vagaries and
self-delusions of indulged vanity, none to
its gluttonous appetite. There is nothing
on earth it will not clutch at to feed
upon.

Veronica well remembered the evident
admiration she had excited in Hugh when
they had met at Lowater. And without
putting it even Mentally into words, she
had an idea that his coming forward
unasked to give witness in her favour, was
in some way due to the resistless influence
of her beauty. What would he think when
he learned that she was to be Princess
Barletti? The question gave rise to some
not unpleasing speculations. Mr. Lane's
next words, however, rudely disturbed
them.

"Young Lockwood certainly did behave
very straightforward. I wonder that Mr.
Lovegrove didn't bully him! For if I lost
two thousand pounds by the business,
young Lockwood lost more, seeing that
he is engaged to the young lady."

Veronica turned round to listen.

"I must be going now, Lady Gale," said
Mr. Simpson. " I merely wanted to give