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mercenary disposition , although he know as well as she did that she had been brought up to consider the only object in life was to make a " good " marriage . So time went on . They met occasionally at balls , at cricket matches , and at the usual so-called places of amusement frequented by tho idle in the bustling London season . Here let it be remarked that in all novels tho hero

and heroine are thrown together , an obstacle next impedes their progress , finally a rich Indian uncle dies , leaves the hero a largo fortune , the two are married , and all ends well . ?*!

fiction . Human nature is after all but frail , and if a man or a woman find thcro is no chance of their heart ' s desire being gratified , they , as a rule , wipe off the name once so beloved from tho slate of their memory and look for sympathy elsewhere . Possibly Elaine believed Sullivan had been breaking his heart for eight years for her sake . Possibly Sullivan believed that Elaine had all through thafc timo at least liked him better than other men . In

this they were , both mistaken . Elaine had given encouragement to numberless " eligibles , " one after another , and considering the condition of society on this point , it might fairly bo said she had proposed to them . Sullivan hatl flirted up to the very edge of the precipice with other girls , and had once been " cornered" by a

scheming hnssey , backed up by her old soldier of a mother , in afar moro dangerous fashion than bad ever occurred to him when sparring for the middle weights down at Lillie Bridge . At last things got desperate . The girl was not married , nor did he know that she was engaged , or indeed that she cared for any man .

He smoked for an hour over it one evening in the club nftcrdinner , fortified himself with aglass of brown sherry , anil finally wrote a note to the mother asking for an interview with the daughter next day . This ho knew was the wrong way to go to work , but oltl Scowley's rudeness hail so increased of late that he could not with any respect for himself enter their house again .

It so happened that on the very day he wrote this important letter a certain Major had called at , the Scowley's house and had been extremely well received . Tho truth was that during the last few years the Scowleys had taken a regular autumnal trip to some of the few respectable watering places to bo found in this dull-asditch-watcr country .

Brighton , Eastbonrne , and Soutbsea were tried without success . It should here be mentioned that a second daughter bad come out since tho events of the last chapter at , Oxford . Kdinhiirgh had been also visited , antl much to tho Scowleys' annoyance ( for with all their worldliness thev wero high church people ) they were compelled to

dance through Lent . Hut , as before , nothing came of it . Folkestone was the Inst attempt , and il was here that Major Sabretache , unattached , turned up . Mrs Scowlev and Elaine hatl both fixetl ideas about matrimony , one of their theories being that if a girl tlid not get , off before twenty-five , she was doomed to the shelf for life .

Elaine having that year completed that eventful age , all lhe Scowleys considered matters had como to a desperate pass , and if only Sullivan had known it , and made the running that year , matters might have ended very differently . As it was , the Major went in , and although , ax old Scowley afterwartls discovered , itwas not half such a gootl thing as the Sullivan , hick antl the fact that ho was a gay militaire gained the day .

The whole thing was knocked up in a frightful hurry . The poor major , although he really was awfully in love with Elaine , could not help thinking they rather ran him in on the eventful occasion . He found out Infer that it was known at Brighton the day before he proposed at Folkestone . The day after this disagreeable ceremony he came dow n to breakfast antl fountl the table covered with

patterns from fashionable dress-makers in London—the bride ' s dress—the bridesmaids' dresses — mamma ' s dress—everybod y ' s dress but his own . London was out of town at that time , and it so happened that Sullivan never heard anything about the . Major , so he popped off to Folkestone next morning , '"id they having received his letter , r . nd thinking that

after all things hud been done in a desperate hurry , gra nted their old friend his much wished for interview with the fair Elaine . Of course he took advantage of the unlocked for opportunity , and thus our heroine received two offers of marriage on two following days . She very politely refused to consider his proposals , either

then or afc any future time , liul she concealed the fact of the engagement to the Major from him . Had she only told him she mi ght have heard something which might , ha \ o altered her views . Hut then—" raj- 'iplan , rataplan , I ' m a military man , " as the song says , > ut unfortunately unattached , so ho could only wear , MK uniform on special occasions after all . What Elaine went through during their short engagonobod

"' Pijt y but herself will ever know . Sho did not wire a , pin for the man she was going to marry . Not wat she was in l „ with Sullivan . That would have « en the case in a novel , but not in real life . Ifc was » mpl y that ,, after all she hatl been through , tho man i not como np to her standard of what sho expected a rovnll o ° \ lght t 0 b 0 ' Uad she "ot dil ,, ccd wit , ) ivi ? „ not aD cnrl walked with her in the 0 < ls at Nuneham ? Had not an emperor put on her

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skates at the Bois ? Had not a duke tried to get introduced to her , and had she not refused to allow ifc ? "Poor little life that toddles half-an-hour , with , perhaps , a flower or two , and there an end . " So is it with us all . If we take the six best things that have happened to ns in our lives , what swells we seem to bo ! If we take fche worst , what villains wo are ! So she

thought as she lay awake , night after night , getting paler and thinner day by day , till all the charms which had so attracted the major had nearly faded into oblivion . Meantime the major acted his part right well . Bracelets , rings , jewellery , diamonds , —all that he could get for cash ( or credit)—were lavished upon the

adored one . The old boy know it was a good thing all round . His own father had on ono occasion paid his debts , and ho intended that tho next lot should be squared by old Scowley . Little did they know of his antecedents , or indeed did they care , for was not Elaine pasfc twenty-five , antl was not her fiance- a distinguished officer holding Her Majesty ' s commission

( formerly ) in the army ? Sullivan was informed of tho event by letter . Ho saitl but lii-tle in reply , but resolved he would never see anything move again of the Scowley ' s . In a novel something would have happened to prevent the marriage coming off , and something else would have happened which woultl have restored the heroine to

her own true lover ' s arms . But , as this is a story of real life , we must toll the truth . The marriage did take place between a man who was afterwartls found out to be anything but what he represented himself to be , and a girl who from the bottom of her heart loathed her husband more than death itself . The wedding took place from tho paternal mansion

in town . The tUmrt Journal , the Morning Post , and other papers supplied every detail regarding the dresses worn on the occasion and the magnificent presents received by the bride . So far so gootl . Shoos and rice were thrown and the bridegroom , looking as if he had done something very clever , led , or rather dragged , his weeping , half fainting bride into the carriage prepared for

their journey , lo add to their miseries tho channel was cresset ! . Tho passage was a bad one . Paris was reached , where tho Major , being well known , got everything " on tick " till he should break the awful news to his father-in-law of his impecunious position . Soon the crash came , the pair went to live on the river economically for a short time ; anil then , although so

soon after marriage , parted for a season , he to enjoy the sweets of London club life once more and she to stay with relations in country houses . One morning Elaine , not being well , had breakfast in bed . Her loiters were brought up to her at , the usual time . One from her sister , announcing that she was engaged to her own true love , Mr . Grump . One from

hor mother , full of inane , fashionable twaddle ; others of less importance ; but one of queer appearance , dirty and thumb-marked , which she opened with trembling hands , wondering who could have sent her such a disreputnble-looking letter . She read it through line by line . At first she could not . comprehend its meaning , but as sho deciphered the

illegible handwriting a second time , the fact dawned upon her that it was from a person of low degree and contained a distinct accusation against the fidelity of her husband . What happened during tho next fow minutes she never know . She seemed to herself to have fallen down a precipice , nnd felt as if sledge hammers were

beating inside her head . Then she saw her breakfast tray , and noticed that her cup of tea had been upset by some sudden movement on her part . Then the full horror of the situation burst upon her . And the letter ? Where was the letter ? That was crumpled up in the clutch of her hand . -Had anyone seen it ? Had anyone seen her faint ? How long had she been in this

state ? Was it likely that anyone would discover that slit- hail received such n warning ? Klaine , always a plucky girl , calmly drew her watch from underneath her pillow . She remembered that tho clock outside her door on the staircase struck nine as her maid brought in the tea . It was now five minutes past nine , so sho could not have been

insensible moro than a few minutes . I hen the fact that the enp of tea had been upset , and that nobody had attempted to sot it right or to mop up the stain ifc had made on the white coverlet , was in itself sufficient to show that nobody had entered tho room , nor had there been any witness to that which sho now looked back upon , with scorn , as au exaggerated piece of feminine

weakness . Sho sprang out , of bed , hastily looked at herself in tho glass . Truly she was pale , bnt she trusted to tho dimness of her half darkened room to conceal anything unusual from the servant . She rang her bell . "I ' ve upset my tea , Mary , bring me another cup , " was all sho dared to say , feeling that her usually clear voice was dreadfully shaky at the

moment . Then after breakfast she sent again for her faithful domestic . The mysteries of the toilet were satisfactorily got through . A cup of beeftca and a glass of sherry at eleven o ' clock seemed to make her feci quite herself again , and breathing a short prayer for strength to meet the inquisitive gaze of the world , sho sallied

forth from her room to join the ladies downstairs . It so happened that amongst tbo guests staying in the house was . a certain Captain Dash , lato of Her Majesty ' s — Dragoon Guards . Dash was his name and dash was his nature . A smart soldier , a fearless rider , a dead shot , ond a skilful swordsman , it was not to be wondered at that he was a most popular man in his regiment , and that upon his retiring a handsome

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piece of plate was presented to him by both officers and men . Dash was nofc what is called a ladies' man . He had so many other things to do which rendered it needful be should bo in constant condition , thafc he left the balls , tho late hours , and tho hundred modes of killing time so popular amongst his confreres to the

junior members of the mess . The hostess had secured him to amuse her guests by his small talk with no littlo difficulty , for if there was one thing in the world he hated more than another , it was a country house . The good hostess had warned him and all the other men of his own ago , both married and single , who were staying with her , of

the approach of Elaine . On her arrival ifc somehow occurred thafc he sat next her thafc night at the dinnerparty to which all the surrounding gentry had been invited . Whether it was that somo sympathy sprang up between them in consequence of their mutual love of manly sports , or whether ifc was that two very handsome people , silently expressed mutual admiration for

each other , certain it is that the Captain and Elaine became great friends , and their friendship was carried to such a pitch that ifc soon became disagreeably conspicuous to tbe other guests , who were being entertained by their easy-going hostess . Whether their friendship did or did not cud in any warmer sentiment , no one at thafc time know . But

before they parted they hatl mutually agreed to correspond secretly by letter with one another . It was in thc midst of all this pleasant time that Elaine received the anonymous letter about her husband . For various reasons she could not leave the house that day , bufc on the following morning departed , as sho said , to join her husband , which , as they had only had a mouth of

married life together seemed natural enough . On arriving in town , Elaine left her luggage at the station , lunched at the restaurant there , antl proceeded straight to the Major ' s " crib" in Diike-streefc , St . James ' s . The presence of so distinguisdcil an individual on the stairs of the bachelor establishment caused no littlo sensation in the hearts of tho

inhabitants , but pushing aside an obstruction m tho shape of a domestic , no other than the Major ' s " man , " sho flow up the stairs , and without knocking , forced her way into the room , over the door of which was painted , in white letters , " Major Sabretache . " Over the scone which met , her gaze wo must draw a veil . Enough that it proved that every word of tho anonymous letter was

true , terribly true . Poor Elaine made her way downstairs , called a cab , and hastened lo that haven to which wo all return when we are in trouble or distress— " Home , sweet homo , " that is , if we have one . The Major was a man of quick thought and rapid action . It is no use mincing matters , so let us say afc

onco that of course this state of misery was caused by a petticoat . Sabretacho had chosen fco desert , an old acquaintance , a country robin , for the sake of a London sparrow , anil the robin , in revenge , knowing ho was newly married , had written to his wife , and told hor all she knew , and a great ileal more , against the Major ' s character .

The sparrow hatl intended to lunch with Sabretache in Duke-street . On her arrival , she found ho was not there , antl so she proceeded to make amiunto examination of the contents of the bachelor establishment , which was known to all the surrounding clubs as tho " Crib . " Ono of the first things she discovered was tho key of the wine cupboard , hidden in one of the

spilljars on the mantle-piece . The sparrow immediately opened ir , and before tho Major had arrived on tho scene had polished off ouo bottle of champagne "to her own cheek , " and hail got half-way through the second . llercoiulition at tho entrance of Sabretache was such as to rentier lunch an impossibility . He hail then

intended to partake of that festive meal alone , leaving tlie sparrow to slot- ]) off the effects of her imprudence , on the floor , when his plans wero suddenly frustrated by the appearance on the scene of his lawful wife , who , as before mentioned , had entered without announcing her arrival . Before Rlnino had left tho house tho Major had appreciated the situation . Knowing , from long

experience , that any arguments would be so much loss of breath if expended upon tho sparrow in her present condition , he hastily summoned his valet , sent for a four-wheeler , into which he and his man half carried , half led thc expostulating petticoat , paid the cabman a gootl tloal more than his fare , and bade him gallop , if ho would or could , to the sparrow ' s hcad-quartors , and

deposit her there . He then quickly wrote out a receipt for live pounds ( on account ) , stamped ifc , mado his man sign it , paid him , saw him off down tho stairs , locked up the chambers , of which he alone had the key , and started off from the house . All this occurred in quite as short a time as it might take to tell it . Indeed , so hurried wore events that

the Major's man was turned out into tho street withont his hat , which he had unfortunately left behind him . Tho Major drove as hard as a hansom could take him to a house in May-fair . This ho had taken for himself and Elaine , intending to make a short stay in London . Throwing the man his faro , he dashed out of the cab at thc very moment that tho postman arrived with a

bundle of letters . Still keeping his presence of mind , ho calmly opened the stroet door with tho latch-key ho had in his pocket . The postman , nothing doubting , put tho letters into his hand . As ho entered the house he saw Elaine ' s confidential maid creeping down the stairs to secure tho letters . " Just in time , by Jingo , " he ejaculated . Sho retired as hastily as she had appeared , and the