children by this second, or shall we say by this third, marriage) comes
up breathless after the dance. 'Darling Uncle Hughie, won't you take me
for an ice?' and he gives her his arm affectionately, but as they pass
away to the buffet Sir Hugh hears Kilcarney speaking of Lily as his
daughter. Sir Hugh's face clouds suddenly, but he remembers that, after
all, Kilcarney is a guardian of his wife's honour. A very ingenious
story, no doubt, and if, as the young man's ascendant--the critics of
1915 are pleased to speak of me as ascendant from the author of
_Muslin_--I may be permitted to remark upon it, I would urge the very
grave improbability that three people ever lived contemporaneously who
were wise enough to prefer, and so consistently, happiness to the
conventions.

There are still May Gould and Olive to consider, but this preface has
been prolonged unduly, and it may be well to leave the reader to imagine
a future for these girls, and to decide the interests that will fill
Mrs. Barton's life when Lord Dungory's relations with this world have
ceased.

G.M.





MUSLIN



I