DISCARDED!

Lord Chester's pride could scarcely brook Ethel's insolent arraignment for what she chose to term his failure in duty. Impatience was one of his faults, and he could scarcely restrain his indignation. His dark gray eyes flashed with temper until they looked as black and brilliant as Ethel's own, and a deep red spot rose to his cheek.

His heart leaped with the impulse to take the haughty beauty at her word, to be free of the fetters he had forged for honor's sake.

"Free!" Oh, what a sweet sound the word had in his ears! Surely Ethel did not dream how sorely she was tempting him with her resentful sneers. Free! Why, then, he might woo dainty Precious with her sweet blue eyes and gentle heart. Oh, what a heaven of happiness opened before him at the thought!

But he bit his lips and held his peace.

His own inner anxiety to take Ethel at her word only made him feel more deeply his lack of love for his betrothed.

"And she loves me, despite her anger. It would not be honorable to take her at her rash offer," he decided with that keen sense of noblesse oblige inherent in noble natures. Ethel regarded his silence in angry wonder. She chose to consider it an affront, and said coldly:

"I offered you your freedom. Am I not worthy an answer?"

Holding his temper sternly in check Lord Chester answered gravely:

"Ethel, do you understand what you are saying? You are dismissing me on such slight cause that when your anger cools you will be surprised at yourself—surprised, and—perhaps a little sorry," and he looked full into her eyes.

"Sorry!" she cried scornfully, and tossed her head.

He answered quietly:

"Yes, sorry; for you love me a little, I think, do you not? Surely it was not all for gold and rank that you accepted me."

She knew that it was not, that she had given him all her fiery heart, but her pride was in arms. That tender appeal to her love sounded like a taunt.

The hot blood rushed to her cheeks, and her great eyes flashed with almost insane anger. She cried contemptuously:

"I fancied I loved you once, but a nature like mine cannot bear neglect and harshness. Your words to me just now were ill-chosen, and I cannot forgive them. From this moment I hate you. Take back your freedom and your ring," and she pressed the costly jewel into his reluctant hand.

"So I am jilted," laughed the young man harshly.

Not another word was spoken, for the carriage was rolling up the driveway, to the house. They saw Precious on the long piazza waiting.

At sight of that beautiful young figure Ethel frowned heavily, and a qualm of pain shook her proud heart.

"What if he turns to her? But he shall not!" she thought bitterly.

She just touched his hand in springing from the carriage, then found Precious clinging about her neck.

"Oh, I'm so glad to see you, darling!" she cooed, but Ethel soon shook her off.

"Don't you see I'm tired to death? Let me go in and rest. Norah, how are you? By the way, send the housekeeper to me. We are to have guests—Lord Chester, Mr. Conway, and his daughter. Are the guest rooms ready?"

Lord Chester stepped forward, and said in a low voice:

"It will not be convenient for me to remain at Rosemont, Miss Winans. I shall go to the village hotel until my friend Earle is better, then I am going away."

He saw the beautiful dark face turn ashy pale at his words, but she did not answer, and with a low bow that included all he walked away.

Ethel's lips half opened as if to call him back, then they closed again, and Precious cried in dismay:

"Oh, what have you done to Lord Chester? He is offended."

"I have broken my engagement," answered her proud sister coldly.

"Oh, you cruel girl!" cried Precious indignantly, but Ethel gave her a scathing glance.

"It is no quarrel of yours," she said icily, then to Norah: "My mother wishes you and Precious to come to her in the carriage for a short time at Mr. Conway's. Come, Hetty, I will go to my room," and she swept away like a queen.

Hetty lingered just long enough to whisper to Norah, "She's been in a tantrum all day," and followed her mistress.

"Come, Norah, let us get in the carriage and go at once to mamma," cried Precious eagerly, and as the carriage rolled along the village street they passed Lord Chester striding along very fast toward the hotel. He lifted his hat to Precious with a glance that made her pulses beat faster, remembering yesterday and last night.

A quick thought pulsed through her throbbing heart:

"Ethel has broken her engagement. She no longer loves him. He is free—free—to—love—me."

She did not say to herself that it was not wrong now for her to think of him. Love was a shy newcomer in her heart, too timid yet to own his presence there.

The carriage rolled past and left him, then the young girl's thoughts turned back to Earle, and the quick tears sprang to her eyes. When they stopped at the cottage gate she was sobbing convulsively, against Norah's shoulder.

Aunt Prue came out to meet them with a very sober face, and led them upstairs to Ladybird's room. Mrs. Winans rose with a cry of joy, and clasped her darling in her arms.

Ladybird, who sat at the window looking very pale and pretty in a blue morning gown, turned aside with a repressed sob. Oh, how she envied Precious her sweet and loving mother, for her own young mother had died when her little one was born, and her child had never known the sweetness of maternal love.

Perhaps Mrs. Winans thought of this, too, for when she had kissed and cried over Precious a little she led her forward to the window, saying tenderly:

"I have found in Ladybird the daughter of the dearest girl friend I ever had, and we must both love her, Precious, for her mother's sake."

"I love her already for her own," cried Precious, kissing Ladybird's white cheek fondly, and a sob rose in the little coquette's throat as she wondered if they would love her still if they ever found out how she had treated Earle, whom they loved so dearly. Alas, she loved him too—she realized it more fully now that he lay wounded, perhaps dying—and how she hated Jack Tennant, the man who held the promise of her hand. Why, she would die before she would marry such a wretch!