had an attachment to a young man, poor and
without any prospects, who liked her also,
but who had been violently and harshly
repulsed by her family. As time wore on,
and her face became disfigured by illness, a
scheming father, it was said, had forced the
present Mr. Leader to marry her. This
brother of hers, who had been a mere lad
at the time, was now the one she turned
to: he was of her side. She always
distinguished between Mr. Leader's family
and her own. There are plenty of these
curiously composite characters in the world
—hard, cold, rocky ground, yet with a
little patch of green grass in one corner.
It was believed that she was determined
to do something for Randall, place him in a
position where his abilities would have a
chance of showing themselves, make him a
member of parliament when the vacancy
came. In this fashion her own family had
begun to believe implicitly in Mr. Randall
Morrison, and looked on him as the genius
of the house. She now took his arm.

"What are we to do with this miserable
creature?" she cried.

"There is only one way," said he; "and
that is through the girl herself. Will you
do what I tell you?" and he led her away,
whispering as they walked.

The two sisters were having a paradisal
night indeed. Polly, flying through the
air with many a gallant soldier, besieged by
crowds of warriors, her flushed cheeks,
tumbled hair, and sparkling eyes showing
the intensity of her fun. How happy she
was on that night, quite reckless in her
enjoyment of the mere vulgar matrimonial
ends, which she flung to the winds. Captain
Montague, not much of a dancer himself,
was looking grave at this promiscuous
waltzing, as he thought it. Could he be
disappointed in this bit of nature, as he had
been about fifty other young ladies? And
Katey, as we before said, was bewildered,
dazzled, by the events of the night, pleased
and excited by the chivalry of her knight,
now beside her, and pouring into her ear all
his plans of defiance, of resistance to
oppression, and his determination to stand by
her. Such devotion the wisest of women
very often are beguiled into accepting as
pure love, and accept it with greater
indulgence than it deserves. He had just
gone to speak to some one when Mrs.
Leader came up; her face hard and sour.

"Miss Findlater, this is going much too
far. Every one in the room is talking of
the designs of your family. It is quite too
much——"

"Designs," faltered Katey, her soft eyes
seeking the ground in a sort of alarm.

"Yes, designs; you and your family
taking advantage of a poor boy when his
people are away. I have no patience with
it. But I tell you plainly now, it shall not
be, if I work heaven and earth to prevent
it. Surely, you must see yourself, if you
have any sense, that the thing could not
be thought of, you in your station, and
your father with all these things against
him—these disgraceful doings——"

That unlucky word lost her the day, for
it at once caused Katey's flushed face to be
lifted, her eyes to glow with an unwonted
defiance, and her figure to grow stately.

"Not a word, Mrs. Leader, against him.
There is nothing against him. Every public
man has calumnies circulated about him.
I cannot listen to them."

Mrs. Leader was quite confused by this
defence. Like all weak people who try to
be violent, she was thrown into disorder
at once.

"I don't wish to say anything against
your father. I know little or nothing of
him. But I am sure you will take a
common-sense view of the matter. I tell you
as plainly as I can, we shall never agree to
this, and I am sure you are too nice and
delicate to try and force yourself into a
family that——"

Katey smiled scornfully.

"Nice and delicate! Let us say nothing
of that. Oh, what cruel words! Oh,
Peter! Father! what have I done to
deserve this degradation? Madam, this is
your house, and it is unworthy of you to
attack me. Ask your son—ask all in this
place—am I likely to have played such a
part? Oh, what can I do! what am I to
do! I cannot go back, and how am I to
go on?" She said this aloud, and as if
addressed to herself.

Mrs. Leader listened in wonder, with for
the first time a feeling of dislike and alarm
combined—new feelings for her—and she
saw in this "low girl" quite of a sudden a
strong and dangerous enemy. At the
moment a bitter feeling of dislike rose in her
that seemed like the inauguration of a long
enmity.

But Peter, afar off, had seen his beautiful
yacht gliding on the rocks on a cruel
leeshore, as it were. Without a moment's
hesitation he "brought up" alongside in a
minute. His daughter caught his arm, and
in a flutter and agitation cried to him:

"Oh! Peter, Peter! what does this
mean? Have I done anything mean or