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"She has indeed," agrees Sir Adrian, with a sroan

"Well"--triu him a private audience, when she believed ere all safely out of the way; and in the north gallery too, which, as a rule, is deserted"

"She didn't knoere thinking of driving to the hills," says Sir Adrian,a feeble effort to find a flaw in his companion's statehtly "I told heryou to o there, as I dote on lovely scenery; and I dare say"--coquettishly--"she knew--I ht--you would not refuse so small a request of mine But for poor Lady FitzAlmont's headache we should be there now"

"It is true," ad that the last straw has descended

"And now that I think of it," thegoes on, evenwith us hs Mrs Talbot merrily "Of course, she wanted the course clear to have an explanation with Arthur Well, after all, that was only natural But she ht have trusted me, whom she knows to be her true friend"

Ill-tempered--capricious--sly! And all these faults are attributed to Florence by "her true friend!" A quotation assigned to Marechal Villars when taking leave of Louis XIV occurs to him--"Defend me from my friends" The words return to him persistently; but then he looks down on Dora Talbot, and stares straight into her liquid blue eyes, so apparently guileless and pure, and tells his her Yes, it is a pity Florence had not put greater faith in this kind little woht have been prevented