The listless life their brother led was a source of grief to them; for
they were really attached to him, and believed that they had in every
way been working for his happiness.

They had no shadow of regret for the part they had played in breaking
off his engagement with Mary Vernon. Having once convinced themselves
that she was a frivolous girl, quite unsuited for the position of
mistress of Penfold Hall, they had regarded it as an absolute duty to
protect Herbert from the consequences of what they considered his
infatuation. Consequently, for years they were in the habit of
inviting for long visits young ladies whom they considered in every
way eligible as their successor, and had been much grieved at their
want of success, and at the absolute indifference with which Herbert
regarded the presence of these young women. When, four years after his
marriage to Mary Vernon, Mr. Conway had died suddenly they had been
seized with a vague disquiet; for they believed that the remembrance
of his first love was the real cause of Herbert's indifference to
others, and considered it probable he might still be sufficiently
infatuated with her to attempt to undo the past.

To their gratification Herbert never alluded to the subject, never, so
far as they knew, made the slightest effort to renew her acquaintance.
In fact, Herbert Penfold was a diffident as well as a weak man. Once
convinced that he had acted badly toward Mary Vernon, he was equally
convinced that she must despise him and that he was utterly unworthy
of her. Had it been otherwise he would have again entered the lists
and tried to recover the love he had thrown away.

Although he occasionally yielded to the entreaties of his sisters and