Golden Fleece

TWO hours after Surrey's letter came his sister Gwen rode over to Beauvais House eager to tell Evelyn the news of his luck in America. It was almost five o'clock in the beautiful autumn afternoon, and she found Evelyn at tea on the porch that looks out upon the Italian garden."It's settled," she said. "They're to be married on the 5th of November-only two months! And George says she is sweet and lovely-not at all like the Americans we know. And her dot is a million and a half-he calls it seven and a half, but he means in their money, which sounds bigger, but counts smaller, than ours. She'll get twice that when her father dies-and he's nearly seventy and not strong. And I'm so glad and so sorry that I don't know whether to laugh or cry.""What's her name? You told me, but I forget." Evelyn's hand was trembling just a little as she gave Gwendoline a cup of tea. She spoke slowly, in the clear, monotonous, but agreeable, English tone. Her voice, always calm, seemed stagnant."Dowie-Helen Dowie. He sent me a proof of a photograph they had taken together." Gwendoline took a letter from the bosom of her shirtwaist, drew from it the proof, and handed it to Evelyn. She took it, lowered her head so that Gwen could not see her face. She looked long and intently, and, if Gwen had seen, she would have wondered how eyes could be so full of tears without shedding a single one."Quite aristocratic," she said at last, giving it back. "How much style those American girls have!""But don't you think her rather pert-looking?" asked Gwen discontentedly. "She looks ill-tempered, too. I'm sure we sha'n't get on. Mother and I are making ready to go to Houghton Abbey at once. We'd have a jolly uncomfortable time of it, I wager, if she were to catch us at the Hall."Evelyn was gazing into her tea and stirring it absently."It seems a shame to have an American nobody come in," continued Gwen, "and throw us out neck and crop from a house where we've always lived. Now, if it were an English girl of our own class, -you, Evelyn, -we shouldn't mind-at least, not so much, or in the same way."Evelyn paled, and her lips contracted slightly."But it's of no use to think of that. We need her money-everything is in tatters at the Hall, and poor George is down to the last seventy pounds." Gwen laughed. "Do you remember what a time there was getting the five hundred for his expenses out of Aunt Betty? We've got to cable him another five hundred-he can't begin on her money the very minute he's married, can he now?""Arthur must go over," said Evelyn suddenly, with conviction. "We're worse off than you are. Old Bagley was down yesterday. He and Arthur were shut in for two hours, and Arthur's been off his feed-horribly-ever since."Gwen, two years younger than Evelyn, could not conceal her feelings so well. She winced, and a look of terror came into her big blue eyes."We can't hold on another year," continued Evelyn. "And it's quite impossible for Arthur to take Miss Cadbrough. She's too hideous, and too hideously, hopelessly middle-class. She could never, never learn not to speak to ladies and gentlemen as if she were a servant