and to give me your good wishes," she says, promptly. " Why on earth, Frank should think it necessary to call you to account for being here, I don't know." She pauses, out of breath with the vehemence with which she has defended the situation, and almost paralysed by her dread that they will try to outstay each other, and that Clement will be the one to give in first. If he does this, how shall she know in what way to act I how shall she know which man she is to marry I how shall she be relieved of the soul-subduing fear, that she may come to the ground between these two stools after all. Quivering Avith fear inwardly, but ex ternally maintaining her composure, she says, as a sort of forljrn hope, " I was just saying good-bye to Frank, for I am too busy about this tiresome packing to give any more time to anyone to-day. But you will like to see my sister-in-law, Mr. Graham. 1 will send her to you as I go on my way about my business. Both men accept her dieta — Frank because he doesn't understand what she is aiming at, and Graham because he un derstands it very Avell indeed. She goes away from them with a light nod ; and Frank, Avho has an antipathy to Mrs. Grange, and a horror of meeting her, finds himself constrained to say good-bye, and leave his esteemed future brother-in law in possession of the field. It strikes him as odd that Charlotte is not lingering about to take one more private farewell of him ; but he is not really in love with her, and tho oddncss of it does not hurt him at all. Just out side the drawing-room door, at the foot of the staii's that lead to the tipper regions, he stands for a moment and cries out, " Good-bye, Charlotte ; I'm off," little thinking that it is good-bye, and that he is off from her for ever. Her heart gives an exultant bound as she hears him ; but though she hears him she makes no response, for she dreads that a response may have a detaining effect upon him, and she does long tohave it out with that chicken-hearted successor of his in the drawing-room. 