ARCH-TRAITOR WITHIN, ARCH-PLOTTER WITHOUT.
The guests at Hallgrove Rectory this Christmas-time were Douglas Dale,
Sir Reginald Eversleigh, a lady and gentleman called Mordaunt, and
their two pretty, fair-faced daughters, and two other old friends of
the rector's, one of whom is very familiar to us.
Those two were Gordon Graham and his sister Lydia--the woman whose
envious hatred had aided in that vile scheme by which Sir Oswald
Eversleigh's happiness had been suddenly blighted. The Dales and Gordon
Graham had been intimate from boyhood, when they had been school-
fellows at Eton. Since Sir Oswald's death had enriched the two
brothers, Gordon Graham had taken care that his acquaintance with them
should not be allowed to lapse, but should rather be strengthened. It
was by means of his manoeuvring that the invitation for Christmas had
been given, and that he and his sister were comfortable domiciled for
the winter season beneath the rector's hospitably roof.
Gordon Graham had been very anxious to secure this invitation. Every
day that passed made him more and more anxious that his sister should
make a good marriage. Her thirtieth birthday was alarmingly near at
hand. Careful as she was of her good looks, the day must soon come when
her beauty would fade, and she would find herself among the ranks of
confirmed old maids.
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