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descent from some Scottish chief or English earl。〃
〃They can't help their descent； Ethel。〃
〃They need not pin all they have done on to it。 Often father frets me in
the same way。 If he wins a difficult case； he does it naturally； because he is
a Rawdon。 He is handsome； gentlemanly； honorable； even a perfect
horseman； all because； being a Rawdon； he was by nature and inheritance
compelled to such perfection。 It is very provoking； Dora； and if I were you
I would not allow Basil to begin a song about ‘the English Stanhopes。'
Aunt Ruth and I get very tired often of the English Rawdons； and are
really thankful for the separating Atlantic。〃
〃I don't think I shall feel in that way； Ethel。 I like the nobility； so does
father； he says the Dennings are a fine old family。〃
〃Why talk of genealogies when there is such a man as Basil Stanhope
to consider？ Let us grant him perfection and agree that he is to marry you
in the Spring； well then； there is the ceremony； and the wedding garments！
Of course it is to be a church wedding？〃
〃We shall be married in Basil's own church。 I can hardly eat or sleep
for thinking of the joy and the triumph of it！ There will be women there
ready to eat their hearts with envyI believe indeed； Ethel； that every
woman in the church is in love with Basil。〃
〃You have said that before； and I am sure you are wrong。 A great many
of them are married and are in love with their own husbands； and the kind
of girls who go to St。 Jude's are not the kind who marry clergymen。 Mr。
Stanhope's whole income would hardly buy their gloves and parasols。〃
〃I don't think you are pleased that I am going to marry。 You must not
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be jealous of Basil。 I shall love you just the same。〃
〃Under no conditions； Dora； would I allow jealousy to trouble my life。
All the same； you will not love me after your marriage as you have loved
me in the past。 I shall not expect it。〃
Passionate denials of this assertion； reminiscences of the past；
assurances for the future followed； and Ethel accepted them without
dispute and without faith。 But she understood that the mere circumstance
of her engagement was all that Dora could manage at present； and that the
details of the marriage merged themselves constantly in the wonderful fact
that Basil Stanhope loved her； and that some time； not far off； she was
going to be his wife。 This joyful certainty filled her heart and her
comprehension； and she had a natural reluctance to subject it to the details
of the social and religious ceremonies necessary； Such things permitted
others to participate in her joy； and she resented the idea。 For a time she
wished to keep her lover in a world where no other thought might trouble
the thought of Dora。
Ethel understood her friend's mood； and was rather relieved when her
carriage arrived。 She felt that her presence was preventing Dora's absolute
surrender of herself to thoughts of her lover； and all the way home she
marveled at the girl's infatuation； and wondered if it would be possible for
her to fall into such a dotage of love for any man。 She answered this query
positively 〃No； if I should lose my heart； I shall not therefore lose my
head〃and then； before she could finish assuring herself of her
determinate wisdom； some mocking lines she had often quoted to love…
sick girls went laughing through her memory
〃O Woman！ Woman！ O our frail； frail sex！ No wonder tragedies
are made from us！ Always the samenothing but loves and cradles。〃
She found Ruth Bayard dressed for dinner； but her father was not
present。 That was satisfactory； for he was always a little impatient when
the talk was of lovers and weddings； and just then this topic was
uppermost in Ethel's mind。
〃Ruth；〃 she said； 〃Dora is engaged；〃 and then in a few sentences she
told the little romance Dora had lived for the past year； and its happy
culmination。 〃Setting money aside； I think he will make a very suitable
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husband。 What do you think； Ruth？〃
〃From what I know of Mr。 Stanhope； I should doubt it。 I am sure he
will put his duties before every earthly thing； and I am sure Dora will
object to that。 Then I wonder if Dora is made on a pattern large enough to
be the moneyed partner in matrimony。 I should think Mr。 Stanhope was a
proud man。〃
〃Dora says he is connected with the English noble family of
Stanhopes。〃
〃We shall certainly have all the connections of the English nobility in
America very soon nowbut why does he marry Dora？ Is it her money？〃
〃I think not。 I have heard from various sources some fine things of
Basil Stanhope。 There are many richer girls than Dora in St。 Jude's。 I dare
say some one of them would have married him。〃
〃You are mistaken。 Do you think Margery Starey； Jane Lewes； or any
of the girls of their order would marry a man with a few thousands a year？
And to marry for love is beyond the frontiers of such women's intelligence。
In their creed a husband is a banker； not a man to be loved and cared for。
You know how much of a banker Mr。 Stanhope could be。〃
〃Bryce Denning is very angry at what he evidently considers his
sister's mesalliance。〃
〃If Mr。 Stanhope is connected with the English Stanhopes； the
mesalliance must be laid to his charge。〃
〃Indeed the Dennings have some pretenses to good lineage； and Bryce
spoke of his sister ‘disgracing his family by her contemplated marriage。'〃
〃His family！ My dear Ethel； his grandfather was a manufacturer of tin
tacks。 And now that we have got as far away as the Denning's grandfather；
suppose we drop the subject。〃
〃Content； I am a little tired of the clan Denningthat is their original
name Dora says。 I will go now and dress for dinner。〃
Then Ruth rose and looked inquisitively around the room。 It was as
she wished it to bethe very expression of elegant comfort warm and
light； and holding the scent of roses： a place of deep； large chairs with no
odds and ends to worry about； a room to lounge and chat in； and where the
last touch of perfect home freedom was given by a big mastiff who；
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having heard the door…bell ring； strolled in to see who had called。
CHAPTER II
DURING dinner both Ruth and Ethel were aware of some sub…interest
in the Judge's manner； his absent…mindedness was unusual； and once Ruth
saw a faint smile that nothing evident could have induced。 Unconsciously
also he set a tone of constraint and hurry； the meal was not loitered over；
the conversation flagged； and all rose from the table with a sense of relief；
perhaps； indeed； with a feeling of expectation。
They entered the parlor together； and the mastiff rose to meet them；
asking permission to remain with the little coaxing push of his nose which
brought the ready answer：
〃Certainly； Sultan。 Make yourself comfortable。〃
Then they grouped themselves round the fire； and the Judge lit his
cigar and looked at Ethel in a way that instantly brought curiosity to the
question：
〃You have a secret； father；〃 she said。 〃Is it about grandmother？〃
〃It is news rather than a secret； Ethel。 And grandmother has a good
deal to do with it； for it is about her familythe Mostyns。〃
〃Oh！〃
The tone of Ethel's 〃Oh！〃 was not encouraging； and Ruth's look of
interest held in abeyance was just as chilling。 But something like this
attitude had been expected； and Judge Rawdon was not discouraged by it；
he knew that youth is capable of great and sudden changes； and that its
ability to find reasonable motives for them is unlimited； so he calmly
continued：
〃You are aware that your grandmother's name