I had ever seen. Mrs. Palmer can't procure ancestors, but she can procure the frame for them.'
' That is not charitably said, dear Judy,' said her sister; ' besides, I am sure that is not it. Ah, I know! They have bought it to give to Bertie on his marriage; that must be it.'
' If so, there is a large-leaved, coarse sort of delicacy about it,' said Judy.
' There again you are not charitable. Besides, you have not seen Amelie. She is charming, simply charming—a girl, too, a real flesh and blood girl. And she adores him; she adores him with all her splendid vitality.'
' And Bertie?' asked Judy.
' Oh, they will be very happy,' said Sybil. ' It will be a great success. He admires her immensely; he likes her immensely. Dear Judy, there are many ways of love; one way of love is Bertie's and mine. That is all.'
' Did he adore Mrs. Emsworth like that?' asked Judy.
' Well, no, I imagine not; that was the other way of love.'
She took up the morning paper. Then a sudden thought seemed to strike her, and she laid it down again.
' By the way, is Charlie in town?' she asked. ' I heard from him just before I left America; he said he had not been well. His letter made me feel rather anxious. There was an undercurrent of—of keeping something back.'
' Did he tell you no more than that?' asked Judy.
Sybil glanced up, and, seeing Judy's face, knitted her brows into a frown.
' Judy, what is it?' she asked quickly; ' tell me at once.'
' I can't, dear; he wished to tell you himself. I promised him I wouldn't.'
' But is there something wrong—something really wrong?'
Judy nodded.
