really, though I wouldn't purposely have said it to her, I'm not sure that
I hope she didn't hear it--for--well, I do wish some one would give her
just such advice."

"My dear, it isn't a case for advice; it's a case for match-making,"
reiterated Mrs. Ferguson, as she once more held out her hand.

Meanwhile Miss Durant thoughtfully went down the steps to her carriage, so
abstracted from what she was doing that after the footman tucked the fur
robe about her feet, he stood waiting for his orders; and finally,
realising his mistress's unconsciousness, touched his hat and asked,--

"Where to, Miss Constance?"

With a slight start the girl came back from her meditations, and, after a
moment's hesitation, gave a direction. Then, as the man mounted to his
seat and the brougham started, the girl's face, which had hitherto been
pale, suddenly flushed, and she leaned back in the carriage, so that no
one should see her wipe her eyes with her handkerchief.

"I do wish," she murmured, with a slight break in her voice, "that at
least mama wouldn't talk about it to outsiders. I--I'd marry to-morrow,
just to escape it all--if--if--a loveless marriage wasn't even worse." The
girl shivered slightly, and laid her head against the cushioned side, as
if weary.

She was still so busy with her thoughts that she failed to notice when the
brougham stopped at the florist's, and once more was only recalled to
concrete concerns by the footman opening the door. The ordering of some
flowers for a débutante evidently steadied her and allowed her to regain