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274 feet—but something in his glance that very night made Ethel and the Chessinghams think that perhaps, in the end, Miss Maywood's name might be Lady Corbin.

The first step toward this followed some days after. Sir Archy had continued to stay at Shrewsbury, much to Colonel Corbin's chagrin. He had divined that there had been a falling out of some sort between Letty and Sir Archy—but he was quite unable to get at the particulars. Each professed a willingness to make up, and upon Sir Archy's paying a formal visit at Corbin Hall, Letty came down to see him and they were stiffly polite. But their misunderstanding seemed, as it was, deep rooted. Letty felt a profound displeasure with a man who could, even by implication, accuse her of indelicacy—and Sir Archy had grave doubts upon the score of Letty's knowledge of good form, to put it mildly.

It was on this subject that he grew confidential with Ethel, and made the longest speech of his life.

"You see," he said, "at first I found those American young ladies who imitate English girls rather a bore, as most of us do. When we go in for an English girl, we like the real