"You may count on my consent beforehand!" groaned Mrs. Carroll, desperately.
"I will do whatever mamma says," murmured Lora, weakly.
Mrs. St. John looked away from them a moment in silent thought; then she said, slowly:
"Of course, you know, mamma, that my husband died without a will, and that Howard Templeton inherited the greater part of his wealth?"
"Yes; you wrote me. I was very sorry that you were disappointed, dear," said her mother, gently, yet wondering what this had to do with Lora's forlorn case.
"Mamma," said Xenie, slowly, "if my husband had left me as Lora's left her, I could have kept that fortune out of Howard Templeton's hands."
"My dear, I hardly understand you," said her mother, blankly.
"Mamma, I mean that if I could hope for an heir to my husband, the child would inherit all that wealth, and Howard Templeton be left penniless."
"Oh, yes, I understand you now," was the quick reply, "but you have no prospect, no hope of such a thing—have you, dear?"
There was a moment's silence, and Mrs. St. John's fair face grew scarlet, then deadly white again. She looked away from her mother, and said, slowly: