that their worst days were over. What mattered it to them that they-
—all eight of them-—were almost destitute? the birth of the poor
little male heir preventing the sale of the property, so terribly
encumbered; and the only available maintenance being the £5000 that
Mr. Thomas Underwood had settled securely upon their mother.

They began to know what love and kindness meant. Kind uncles and
aunts gathered round them. Their mother seemed to be able to live
when her twin-sister hung over her, and as soon as she could be
moved, the whole party left the gloom of Ironbeam for Vale Leston,
where a house was arranged for them. Lady Vanderkist continued a
chronic invalid, watched over by her sister Wilmet and her excellent
young daughter Mary. Robina, who had only one girl, and had not
forgotten her training as a teacher, undertook, with the assistance
of Sophia, the second daughter, the education of the little ones; and
the third and fourth, Emilia and Anna, were adopted into the
childless homes of Mrs. Travis Underwood and Mrs. Grinstead, and
lived there as daughters. Business cares of the most perplexing kind
fell, however, on Clement Underwood's devoted and unaccustomed head,
and in the midst arrived a telegram from Charles Audley, summoning
him instantly to Munich.

Angela was in danger of fulfilling her childish design of marrying a
Duke, or at least a Graf. Diplomates could not choose their society,
and she had utterly disdained all restraints from "the babies," as
she chose to call Mr. and Mrs. Audley, and thus the wunderschones
madchen had fascinated the Count, an unbelieving Roman Catholic of
evil repute, and had derided their remonstrances.

Clement hurried off, but to find the bird flown. She had come down