ALL 18 NOT GOLD THAT GLITTERS. 85

Every body was astonished. Mrs. Howard
—Helen’s “ kind friend ’’—Mrs. Howard, little
short of distracted for three weeks at the very
least, did nothing but exclaim, “ Who would
have thought it!””- “Who, indeed!” was the
reply, in various tones of sympathy, envy, and
surprise. Poor Mrs. Howard, to the day of
her death, never suffered another portionless
beauty to enter her doors while even the shadow
of an eldest son rested on its threshold. Mrs.
Myles was of course in an ecstacy of delight;
her prophecy was fulfilled. Helen, her Helen,
was the honourable wife of a doubly honoura-
ble man. What triumphant glances did she
cast over the railings of the communion-table
at Mr. Stokes—with what an air she marched
down the aisle—how patronising and conde-
scending was her manner to those neighbours
whom she considered her inferiors—how bitter-
ly did she lament that the Honourable Mr.
Ivers would not have any one to breakfast with
them but Mr. Stokes—and how surpassingly,_
though silently, angry was she with Mr. Stokes
for not glorying with her when the bride and
bridegroom drove off in their “ own carriage,”
leaving her in a state of prideful excitement,
and Rose Dillon in a flood of tears.

‘* Well, sir!” exclaimed the old lady—* well,
sir, you see it has turned out exactly as I said
it would; there’s station—there’s happiness.
Why, sir, if his brother dies without children,