At Love's Cost

"Here is an instance of toil rewarded," said Mr. Heron, promptly

improving the occasion. "The labourer is worthy of his hire; and no

doubt Sir Stephen Orme, by bringing vast tracts under the beneficent

influence of civilisation, merits the approval of his sovereign and a

substantial reward at the hands of his fellow-subjects. Let us trust

that he will use his wealth and high position for the welfare of the

heathen who rage in the land which he has--er--"

"Collared," put in Mr. Joseph, in an undertone and with a grin.

--"Added to the queen's dominions," said Mr. Heron. "I will consider

about the shares. I do not approve of speculation--the pursuit of

Mammon--but as I should use the money for charitable purposes, I may on

this occasion--"

"Better make up your mind pretty soon," remarked Joseph, with a yawn.

"There's a rush for them already."

"Now that the gentlemen have got on to business, my dear, I think we

had better retire to the drawing-room," said Mrs. Heron, with an

attempt at the "grand lady."

They returned to that apartment--Mr. Joseph did not open the door for

them--and Mrs. Heron and Isabel at once started on a series of

questions calculated to elicit all the details of Ida's past life, her

father's death and her present deplorable condition. Women can be much

more merciless than men in this kind of inquisition; and Ida, weary in

mind and body and spirit, suffered acutely under the ordeal. The two

women did not intend to be unkind--they were really sorry for the

homeless orphan; they were prepared to like her; they reluctantly and

grudgingly admired her beauty and her grace, and had a sneaking kind of

awe of her higher social position, of which they were reminded by every

word she spoke, the high-bred accent, and that indescribable air of

delicacy and refinement which indicate good birth; but they were

devoured by curiosity as to her mode of life and her friends, a

curiosity which they were too vulgar, too inconsiderate to restrain. So

poor Ida had to describe the Hall, and the servants, and the way she

managed the farm, and the way in which she rode about Herondale.

They were very much impressed, specially so when she mentioned Lord and

Lady Bannerdale's kind offer, and they exchanged glances as the titles

left Ida's lips "quite as naturally as if they were common names," as

Mrs. Heron afterwards remarked to Isabel.

"I'm afraid you'll find it very dull here, Ida," said Mrs. Heron, with

a sniff. "You won't find any society in Woodgreen; they're nearly all

city people, and there aren't many large houses--this is as large as

most--and John is very strict." She sighed; and it was evident to Ida

that though her cousin John's "religion" might be some amusement to

him, it was rather a bugbear and nuisance to his family. "But we must

get Joseph to take you about; and perhaps you and Isabel might go to a

_matinée_ or two; but John mustn't know anything about it."