And thus things grew worse, and one day Captain
Filby—always watching—reported that he had
seen the " pretty thing " break away from her
husband with flushed cheeks and angry eyes,
"fiery as a little game cock, sir; and I have
watched 'em all day since, sir, and they've never
spoken."

There had been, indeed, an open battle; and
the worst was, the lady had flown for sympathy
to her friend and counsellor, who felt deeply for
her wrongs. " I watched them down to the
port, and they sat there a couple of hours on
a bench. They didn't think Jack Filby had his
eye on 'em," was the captain's report. She
also told her troubles—" persecutions," she
called it—to Lucy, her friend, who quite entered
into them, and was indignant at the "cruelty"
and persecution of the husband. She considered
the whole quite harmless, and really admired
the generous chivalry of Mr. Beaufort, who
disinterestedly "stood by" the .young wife,
whom her husband was so persecuting.

Such was Miss Pringle's training. "We
have all our trials, dear," she said. "You
don't know what I have to suffer."

It was noticed that there was in her face,
too, a little wistfulness and anxiety; explained,
by those who watched, by the gradual approach
of the fatal sailing of the Duchess of Kent.
Vivian himself was noticed to be downcast and
restless, with an affected eagerness, which did
not deceive the wary.

"He'll slip put, if there's a chance," said
the captain, with zest, " and God speed him!
But he don't see his way, exactly. That rap
Dacres is wide awake, sir, and won't let
him."

Mr. Dacres, however, seemed quite cheerful
and unconcerned. Indeed, he owned he never
felt so happy for a long time. What puzzled
him, and, at the same time, constituted this
happiness, was the miraculous freedom he
enjoyed from duns and persecutors. What
amazed him more, was a polite letter from
"that bloodsucker, Levy," as he always called
him, speaking of the "little balance standing
over," and adding, if he was at all " distressed,"
he would be happy to assist him to a moderate
extent.

"The man's transfigured, Lulu! What's
the meaning of it? Maybe—I know Romilly,
and Wilberforce, and the good men were for
it—maybe they've done away with arrest and
imprisonment for debt. That must be it, or
something like it. By the Lord, if that's the case,
your Harco's himself again, and a made man!
I'll be at the juries again, my duck, tipping
them the pure native, appealing to their noblest
impulses. I tell you what, Lu," he said,
becoming grave; " as soon as your little
business is settled, and I see my little sweet
manufactured into Mrs. Colonel Vivian, I'll
slip over and look about me. Poor papa will
have his honeymoon too."

Thus we see Mr. Dacres reckoned on the
coming event as quite certain, or affected to
do so. The truth was, he was a very shrewd,
clever fellow, under all his fitfulness and want
of steadiness. He had his own plan fixed.

"I won't flurry the man, or bother him," he
said. " I see he's in some fix; but I'll let him
take his own way, like a gentleman, until it
comes to the day week of the sailing, my
boy. Then I'll slap down on him, and come
to business."

Vivian, meanwhile, unconscious of this
resolve, and feeling that Mr. Dacres was treating
him with even an extra heartiness, was growing
low-spirited in this miserable dilemma, and
was walking along gloomily, when Mr. Blacker
passed him, full of importance.

"I am in a hurry," he said. " Sorry I can't
stop to tell you the news. Such an arrival—
such an addition! Mr. Parkes and his friend,
son of Judge Parkes, one of our English bench.
One of the nicest, most aile-gant mannered
men, now—such kairteousness," as he called it,
"and a high, well-bred air. And they have just
come in time for our ball. I got them to the
Royal, and must run up to see that Le Buff has
taken care of 'em. By the way, his friend is in
the army—quite in your way. I shall be proud
to bring you and Mr. Morton together. Excuse
me, I really cannot stay."

Vivian listened to him absently, When he
was gone, he said, half aloud:

"What am I to do? What a situation!
But it is all my own folly and want of humanity.
I might have waited, after all. It was only
decency. But what am I to do now?"

In another moment he saw Mr. Blacker
pointing towards him, " in charge," as it were,
of two gentlemen, walking in advance of them
in his eagerness, flourishing something. Vivian
turned round hastily, but Mr. Blacker was
down on him in a moment.

"I brought them," he said—" I have brought
them. Fortunately, just met them in time. I
want them to stay for the ball."

"Why, my dear Beau———"

"What, Vivian!" said the other, hastily, stopping
him; " only think of meeting you here! I am
so glad;" and he took his arm and led him aside.
"I want to get rid of this old bore here, and leave
him to Parkes. Look here; will you recollect
not to call me by my name of Morton Beaufort,
but only Morton? I have a reason, which
I will tell you of by-and-by. We shall have
some fun presently, never fear. And I have
come a long way for it. Parkes has a friend
here he wants to see." And the two gentlemen
presently began to talk on old times with the
eagerness of military acquaintances, and Vivian
presently had let his present difficulties pass
from his sight.

These few weeks—the last few weeks of
this story—were flurried. Every actor had a
sense that something was drawing on, and a
destiny to be accomplished in some fashion.
At that very time Lucy was in her room, with
Mrs. Wilkinson sitting on the sofa with
inflamed eyes, and now  and again gushes of tears,
telling her " miserable story."

Some officious people about the place—" not