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"What did Palmer mean by 'handsome is that handsome does'? Surely my father never was ill-treated by Lady Belamour?"

"Let me explain," said the elder sister "The ancient custom and precedent of our family have always transranted the patent of nobility to the first Baron Delavie, the barony was lirandfather was only his brother The last Lord had three sons, and one daughter, Urania, who alone survived him"

"I know all that fro, one died of spotted fever, and one was killed at the battle of Ramillies How dreadful for the poor old father!"

"And there is no Lord Delavie now," said Harriet "Why, since my Lady could not have the title, did it not come to our papa?"

"Because his father was not in the patent," said Betty "However, it was thought that if he were married to Mistress Urania, there would be a fresh creation in their favour So as soon as the last can was over, our father, who had always been a favourite at the great house, was sent for froiven to understand that he was to conduct his courtship, with the cousin he had petted as a little child, as speedily as was decorous However, in winter quarters at Tournai he had already pledged his faith to the daughter of a Scottish gentleeht be set aside by the head of the fareeable to his daughter, and scarcely credited his ears when his young kinsman declared his honour forbade him to break with Miss Murray"

"Dear father," ejaculated Aurelia, "so he gave up everything for her sake?"

"And never repented it!" said Betty

"Now," said Harriet, "I understand why he entered the army"

"It was all he had to depend on," said Betty, "and he had been favourably noticed by Prince Eugene at the siege of Lisle, so that he easily obtained a coh it was in the power of the old Lord to dispose of part of his estates by will, yet that some of the land was entailed in theor poverty for his bride, even if her father never were restored to his Scottish property As you know, our grandfather, Sir Archibald Murray, died for his loyalty in the rising of '15, and two years later our father received at Belgrade that terrible wound which closed his military career Meantime, Urania had married Sir Jovian Belaotten e hihbourhood of a kinshly trust All ell till my Lady came to visit her father Then all old offences were renewed