You have made me a laughing-stock in the eyes of the world."

"Your philosophy will help you to bear it," I answered wearily, "and you can tell your friends that you broke off the engagement, and not I. You can tell them you found me too gauche and uneducated. I shan't mind, and it is true. Good-bye, Eustace, and try to forgive me."

I wonder now how my trembling legs supported me down that long shrubbery, for I was as an old lady; but somehow I got into the house and up to my room and on to my bed. The tears seemed to be stopped up, but my heart and head and body were one gigantic ache.

CHAPTER XXIX

Aunt Menelophe Scolds and Afterward Comforts Me

I

MUST have lain on the bed, with my face buried

in the pillows, for a couple of hours before Aunt Menelophe came to me. I heard the dog-cart drive round to the front, I heard Eustace's voice saying "Good-bye," and then came the tap at the door.

"Oh, Aunt Menelophe," I cried, "I have been such a little fool!"

"Yes, dear," she said soothingly, stroking my hair.

"You think so?" I questioned, sitting up in bed. 'Certainly, dear”

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I lay down and groaned.

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"But you are doing better now," she said more encouragingly. "Your senses are coming back." "You think I have done the right thing?"

"Undoubtedly. I am only surprised, knowing you, you did not do it sooner."

"I have been too utterly wretched," I moaned. "I have nearly-cut my throat, Aunt Menelophe."

"You mean poison, surely," she laughed, "it is more romantic, and the other is so- -so unclean." "Don't," I wailed, "don't laugh at me, Aunt Menelophe. It is no joking matter.'

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"No," she said, now you mention it, I don't think it is. I am trying to imagine the faces of your mother and Angela and all Heatherland, and I am wondering if the calico and flannel have yet been purchased. What will they all say? "What will they say?" I cried, rumpling up my hair. "What will they say? That is the question I have been asking myself for the last two solid hours. I daren't go home."

"Of course you daren't," said Aunt Menelophe decidedly, "you must stay with me."

"But I can't always live here.”

"You can if you like."

I shook my head.

"I love you wildly, Aunt Menelophe, but-I couldn't leave mother."

"No, perhaps not," she agreed, "and-there may be some one else you would like to see sometimes." My cheeks became hot.

"You mean Sammy. Yes, I should miss dear old Sammy."

"No, I don't mean Sammy," she contradicted. "Aunt Menelophe," I observed, "I think it would show greater delicacy of feeling if we-did not discuss any other man when poor Eustace is barely

I paused.

"Cold in his grave? You surely don't mean that?" she asked.

"When poor Eustace's tobacco is still lingering about the house," I finished, ignoring her interruption.

"That is Wellesley's tobacco," she said placidly. "I know the peculiar scent."

"How did he look?" I asked presently.

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“A little pale,” she answered.

"That was rather nice of him," I said, smoothing

my pillow.

"But he made an excellent lunch.

He had two helpings of roast beef and one of cabinet pudding," she added, a little unnecessarily.

"Of course he had a long journey before him,” I remarked.

"Of course!" she agreed.

"That reminds me I have had no lunch," I said, jumping up suddenly.

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'Are you hungry?" There was a surprise in her accents which annoyed me.

"Not very," I replied, lying down again, "only a little sinking."

"That is not surprising after what you have gone through. Strong emotion always produces a sinking. A cup of tea by-and-by will refresh you."

Now the thought of roast beef was infinitely more attractive to me than tea, but I could not say so.

"Do the servants and Wellesley know?" I asked, turning over on my face not to feel the emptiness.

"Servants know everything, and Wellesley is not an idiot. Parkins and James are at the moment discussing you in the pantry. I overheard them as I came up the stairs. Of course you have behaved badly-heartlessly, in fact.”

"Oh, Aunt Menelophe, you are cruel," I moaned. "You are very unsympathetic, and I am so miserable."

Then, to my own surprise, I burst into tears. At once her arms were round me.

"Poor little Hazel!"-and she drew my head on to her shoulder-"have I teased you too much, hurt you? But I wanted to punish you a little—well, because I think you have behaved very foolishly, rashly. I am going to preach to you a little. From the very beginning you knew you did not love this man. Did you, now?"

I shook my head.

"You were attracted by his wealth, his appearance, the life he offered you; but there was no love in your heart. This, you thought, did not matter, so long as he loved you."

I nodded again.

"Well, this was not exactly an ideal feeling for a young girl. Girls are not nice when they are mercenary and ambitious. We want our girls to be simple and sweet and tender-hearted and loving,