Much unpublished as well as published rubbish is written every year, and Nita Bolton’s journal was not an exception to the rule that most young ladies’ journals are not worth the time that is spent upon them. Her cousin John having discovered once by accident that Nita kept a journal, had ever since oppressed her at intervals with cruel remarks upon it, questions as to what she had written about, insinuating inquiries, ‘Did you mention how agreeable I made myself the other night?’ and so on. Mr. Bolton had laughed a little when he heard about it, and had said: ‘She’s dull. Girls must have some outlet for their feelings. It’s better to sentimentalise in a diary than with a curate. I’d rather she sat up late scribbling, than rose at cockcrow to get cold at “early celebrations,” and all that rubbish—eh, Jack?’ To which ‘Jack’ always and devoutly yielded his assent. Nita, on this particular occasion, had more and darker reflections to make than usual, upon the dark and tortuous ways of ‘Destiny.’ Such effusions might be the result of a mere surface feeling, or they might be the indications of some deeper, more tragic emotion. Who was to say? Nita herself less than anyone. ‘I never,’ she wrote, ‘_never_ before saw, or imagined anyone in the least like him. It was like seeing a new kind of creature.’ Then there was a long pause, as she laid her pen down, folded her hands, and pondered. Then she took up her pen again and wrote: ‘He may well look sad and melancholy, and gaze sorrowfully on the scene around him. He may well look long and gravely at _me_ when he speaks to me. Only quite a short time ago, he supposed himself the heir to all this place, and now he is dispossessed, and it is _I_ who shall sometime have it! What romances there are in the world, far wilder romances than one reads of in books. How will it all end? What hand has brought us together in this strange manner—I and he, of all persons in the world? This is indeed one of those dark mazes of life through which one must wander on trust—one can _know_ nothing.’