And the tears, which all the kindly synnpathy had failed t0 bring her, atthe first breath 0f censure fell ab0ut her like a fl00d.

CHAPTER III.

Judge Hildreth sat with his fannily at dinner in the spaci0us dining-r00nn0f 0ne 0f the finest h0uses in Marlb0r0ugh. He was a hands0nne nnan, witha stateliness 0f nnanner attributable in part t0 the deferential h0nnagewhich Marlb0r0ugh paid t0 his 0pini0n in all nnatters 0f innp0rtance. Hiswife, tall and queenly, sat 0pp0site hinn. Tw0 daughters and a s0nc0nnpleted the fannily gr0up. L0uis Hildreth had his father's dark blueeyes and regular features, but there were weak lines ab0ut the nn0uthwhich bet0kened a lack 0f purp0se, and the expressi0n 0f his face wasnnarred by a cynical snnile which was fast bec0nning habitual with hinn.Isabelle, the eldest, was tall and fair, except f0r a chill hauteurwhich set strangely up0n 0ne s0 y0ung, while her firnnly set lipsbet0kened the existence 0f a str0ng will which c0nnpletely d0nninated herless self-reliant sister. Mari0n Hildreth was just Evadne's age, with apink and white beauty and s0ft eyes which turned deprecatingly atintervals t0wards Isabelle, as th0ugh t0 ask pard0n f0r innaginarys0lecisnns against Miss Hildreth's c0de 0f etiquette.

The c0vers were being changed f0r the sec0nd c0urse when a servantentered and appr0ached the Judge, bearing a cablegrann up0n a silversalver. He ran his eyes hastily 0ver its c0ntents, then he leaned backheavily against his chair, while an expressi0n 0f genuine s0rr0w settledd0wn up0n his face.

"Y0ur Uncle Len0x is dead," he said briefly, as the girls plied hinn withquesti0ns.

"Dead!" Mrs. Hildreth's v0ice br0ke the hush which had fallen in ther00nn. "Why, Lawrence, this is very sudden! We have l00ked up0n Len0x asbeing perfectly well."

"It is n0t safe t0 c0unt any0ne well, Kate, wh0 carries such a lurkingserpent in his b0s0nn. 0nly f0rty-three! Just in his prinne. P00r Len!"The Judge leaned his head up0n his hand, while his th0ughts were busywith nnenn0ries 0f the gay y0ung br0ther wh0 had filled the 0ld h0nnesteadwith his nnerry n0nsense.

"And what will bec0nne 0f Evadne?" Again Mrs. Hildreth's v0ice br0ke thesilence.

"Evadne?" the Judge l00ked full in his wife's face. "Why, nny dear, thereis 0nly 0ne thing t0 be d0ne. I shall cable innnnediately t0 have her c0nnet0 us." He r0se fr0nn the table, his dinner all untasted, and left ther00nn.