TWO:"Dick," he said, suddenly grave as he walked me down the veranda, "her cousin Ccile! isn't it awful? Now that poor girl's gone back to Ned's bedside; back to her torture! Why do they let her? My George! it's merciless! Has her aunt no eyes?"Mrs Goodford took no notice whatever of this. It is likely that her quick little eye had intercepted the telegraphic suggestion of champagne, and that she was justly irritated at her son-in-la{25}ws rejection of it. She laid herself out to be more markedly disagreeable than usual.


















