"You look unusually well, my dear. There is no trace of your illness left this morning," Lady Clive exclaims, with her usual charming good nature, as Lady Vera glides into her seat. A blush and smile of acknowledgement from the young girl. She glances shyly under her long lashes at Captain Lockhart, who is her _vis-a-vis_ at table. But the handsome soldier, after one slight glance and a courtly bow, does not seem to see her. Miss Montgomery, who sits next him, absorbs his attention this morning. She is a belle and beauty, and has long angled for Captain Lockhart. Seeing Lady Vera so gay and smiling, he resolves not to damp her pleasure by a sight of his own grave, troubled face, so he lends himself assiduously to the coquette's efforts to amuse him, succeeding so well in his plan that she is completely blinded, and murmurs to herself with sudden bitterness: "He is flirting with Miss Montgomery to show me how little he cares for my rejection. Ah, well, if he is satisfied, I am!" So the first seeds of pride are sown in her heart by a coquette's petty arts. "Alas! how slight a cause may move Dissension between hearts that love!" "I had meant to win him back to my side," she thinks, with a sudden sigh. "I would not have told him so in so many words, but I thought to let him see that I repented after all, and that--I love him! I fear me I am too late after all. Oh, that he had not spoken yesterday. If only he had waited until to-day!" After breakfast they organized a riding-party. Captain Lockhart rides by Miss Montgomery's side, the countess goes with Lord Gordon--poor Lord Gordon, who has long been waiting for this chance to put his fate "To the test, And win or lose it all." How lovely she was in her sable habit and streaming feather. Though Captain Lockhart rode attentive by Miss Montgomery's side, he could not help seeing her beauty and repeating to himself Tennyson's exquisite lines: "As she fled fast through sun and shade, The happy winds upon her played, Blowing the ringlet from the braid, She looked so lovely as she swayed The rein with dainty finger tips, A man had given all other bliss, And all his worldly wealth for this; To waste his whole heart in one kiss Upon her perfect lips." "And yet after all, in her quiet, proud way, she must be a flirt," he thinks to himself, with subdued bitterness. "How bright and gay she appeared this morning, as if careless of my sorrow, and almost exulting in it. I thought she had more feeling. And, indeed, she appeared to smile on my suit, though she was coy and cold at first. See now how charming she is with Lord Gordon. Poor fellow, he has long been seeking a chance to propose to her. Well, he will find it to-day, and she will ruthlessly trample his heart as she did mine yesterday." Sweet, innocent Vera, how fast the springing hopes of last night and this morning are turning to dead sea fruit upon thy lips.