HE autumn wore away and the winter came on, and the time, notwithstanding Kathleen's frequent companionship, was the dreariest Stella had ever gone through. The

cloud was not broken, but still seemed to hang over Sir John, and between him and Stella too. If possible, he was kinder to her than ever; but she felt that there was a mystery of some kind, which her grandfather suffered from in silence, and which was making the expression of gloom and anxiety settle daily more on his till now bright and open face. She was constantly with Kathleen and Mrs. Yorke, either at the Manor House or Desborough, as her grandfather was more away than usual, and often went up to town 'on business,'-words which might mean anything, but of whose actual meaning she knew nothing. She had

never known him care so little for hunting either as this year. But perhaps this was to be accounted for by vexation at the loss of his favourite horse, which had to be shot after a bad accident in the beginning of the

season.

'Seen a very nice-looking horse of Mr. Daniell's, sir, yesterday,' Stella heard the stud-groom say to him one day in the yard, when she was getting on her pony. 'Just up to your weight, sir, and first-rate at timber. If you'd like to see him, sir, Mr. Daniell's groom, he said '

'No,' Sir John answered curtly; 'I don't want to see him. I shan't buy any more horses this winter. In fact, I think I shall get rid of some;' and he walked away.

The groom shook his head. 'Bad business if master gives up riding,' he muttered to a man who stood near him. He'll never take to it again; and at his age'But seeing Stella, he stopped.

Sir John had evidently meant what he said. Two more horses were got rid of, and he now only rode occasionally, and it seemed for the sake of exercise. One morning Stella met Mrs. Cooper coming out of his study, and though she hastily brushed them away, Stella could see that there were tears on her cheeks.

Christmas came, and the usual large charities were

given to the poor of the neighbourhood, but to the surprise and disgust of the tenantry, the usual dance at the Hall was omitted. Sir John did not feel equal to it this year, Mrs. Cooper explained apologetically to those of the disappointed whom she came across. And Mrs. Cooper evidently knew something which Stella did not know, and turned her eyes away from the intent questioning of the child's, which were now so often anxiously fixed upon her. Sometimes Stella thought she would talk to Kathleen and her mother, and ask the latter if she knew what the mystery was? It would be such a relief to talk to somebody; but then, again, a feeling kept her back which she could not quite define, but which made it seem disloyal to Sir John to talk about him and his affairs to people who did not belong to him.

At length an incident occurred which solved the mystery to Stella, and taught her what she wanted to know.

It had been a settled thing since last year, that the drawing-rooms at Desborough were to be re-decorated that spring. The decorations were elaborate, and one of the most artistic of London decorators was to be engaged to undertake them; and Stella promised herself a good deal of entertainment from seeing the men at work, and had already engaged Kathleen to