Matty could scarcely speak when this remarkable question was addressed to her, unless giggles, blushes, gasps, and “Oh, Gus, how killing you are!” could be taken as a sensible reply.

Under these circumstances Mrs. Bell felt that the less she said about Captain Bertram and that old affair of his with Matty the better.  She always mentioned it now as “that old affair,” and whispered in strictest confidence to her friends that Gus, poor dear fellow, was so absurdly jealous of Captain Bertram that she dared not breathe the captain’s name in his presence.

“It’s awful to see the thunder-clap that comes on Gusty’s brow,” the good lady would say.  “And what I’m so terrified of is that if he and the captain meet they’ll do each other a serious mischief.  My poor child, she is the innocent cause, Well, well, she has been much sought after.”

When Beatrice asked the Bells to become her bride’s-maids, Mrs. Bell thought the time had arrived to let bygones be bygones, and to accept the proffered honor.

“It was the captain’s wish, I make no doubt,” she said to her husband; “he knew he hadn’t a chance of winning the girl on whom his heart was set, but he thought, at least, he might have the pleasure of seeing her at his wedding, and, so to speak, looking his last on her.  It’s my belief, too, that he’ll relieve his feelings by giving Matty a very beautiful present.  She must hide it from Gusty, though; Gusty is so terrible in the jealous excess of his feelings.”

As Beatrice had insisted on giving her bride’s-maids their dresses, no difficulty could be experienced on that head, and the Bells, notwithstanding that stormy period which had gone before, enjoyed themselves immensely during the brief season of Beatrice’s engagement.

Mrs. Bell certainly was happy during this time.  If Matty was not engaged to Bertram she soon would be to a better man.  Gusty Jenkins, as she invariably called him, was, of course, the better man now in her eyes.  The three girls were being supplied with new and lovely dresses, in which Mrs. Bell assured her husband they’d look like angels wafted down fresh from the skies—­for the occasion.  When she said this, Bell did not agree with her, but that was not of the slightest consequence.

Mrs. Bell also during these happy weeks was making a little secret hoard of money, which further considerably added to the good lady’s felicity.

That young visitor of the Bell’s, Miss Hart, proved herself a most unobtrusive and retiring person.  She was strangely reserved, no doubt, and would reveal none of the secret which she had dimly alluded to on the night of her arrival to Mrs. Bell, but she was chatty and pleasant enough to the girls when quite alone with them.  She put them up to many small wrinkles with regard to their toilette, and insisted on dressing Matty’s hair in a way which made it look both thick and becoming.  When the Bells were quite alone she was present at their meals where