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The first months of winter were full of excitement to Lena She

frequently assured herself that she was rapturously happy, but, while

intellectually she accepted the fact, no genial warmth pervaded her

consciousness The entrance to her new life was too brier-sprinkled for

bliss Daily to face herof co; to arded as thinly-disguised eneether so; all this filled her with

of all were the persistent attentions of Miss Madeline

Elton No one likes to be loved as a matter of duty, certainly not Lena

Quincy, whose shrewd little soul easily divined that this equable war from affection

for Dick and Mrs Percival and not for herself Madeline set Lena's

teeth on edge, and it must be confessed that Lena often did as much for

Madeline, but each politely kept her sensations to herself Miss Elton

always assured her optiht,

that love was a great developer, that sarities of mind were the

result of association

Lena, on the other hand, ht have broken friendly relations once and

for all except that she found Miss Elton both useful and interesting A

friendly and very sly conspiracy between Madeline and Mrs Percival had