'Frankly, yes,' said Spiridion, who was delighted to find matters going apparently so smoothly. 'I do not think I ever saw a young lady who pleased me so much.' 'You have not proposed to her?' said Mrs. Hamblin quickly. 'No, O no!' 'But you have let her see that you are very much taken with her?' 'Scarcely even that,' said Spiridion. 'I have merely paid her the ordinary attentions of society; but her sister--' 'Ah, yes, her sister, Mrs. Chadwick--clever managing woman that; you have talked with her about it?' 'Not in so many words; but from certain hints which she has given me, I am led to believe that the alliance would not be disagreeable to her.' 'I should think not,' said Mrs. Hamblin. 'Well, now that we have had this frank talk, you must make me acquainted with your idol, and avail yourself of any help I can give you towards winning her.' 'Margaret,' said Mr. Pratt, springing up and seizing her hand romantically, 'you were always generous and--' 'Not at all, my dear Tito,' said Mrs. Hamblin, disengaging herself with a smile; 'however we may be situated, there will always be a great bond of _camaraderie_ between us.' There was no smile, however, upon her face when, five minutes afterwards, she threw herself into the corner of her brougham, and lay back revolving plans of vengeance. CHAPTER X ON TEM WATCH. Mrs. Hamblin, although she spoke so fairly to Spiridion Pratt, and seemed to experience so little annoyance at the idea of his proposing for Eleanor Irvine, was by no means prepared to let the matter run on smoothly and in an even course. Spiridion himself, who knew the passionate nature of the woman, and whose vanity induced him to believe that her existence without his devotion was almost impossible, had been wonderfully relieved when he found not merely that there was no necessity for him to break the real facts of the case to her, but that when he had confirmed her impression she received his candid declaration with more than calmness, and with the expression of a desire to help him in the attainment of his wishes. He was too foolish and too vain to believe that this woman with whom he had been intriguing would grow tired of him as he had grown tired of her; and yet such little knowledge of the world had he gained during all his six-and-thirty years of life as to think it possible that a woman's affection could be strong enough not only to permit her to give up the man whom she loved, feeling it was for his good, but actually to help him in his attempt to win the hand of another.