THE ORDEAL 

 family mansion, a superb place from 

 what " 



" Mamma/' interrupts poor Edna, 

 almost tearfully, ** it is not ^ the 

 Devil ' I am in love with — I wish it 

 were ! It is the ' Deep C. ! ' " 



To say that she was taken aback 

 would scarcely express the state of 

 mind into which Mrs. Clay was 

 thrown by this avowal. In vain she 

 sought for words to express her pro- 

 test ; this match between her daughter 

 and the Honourable Jack Austin, 

 better known among his friends as 

 ^* the Devil," she had fondly pictured 

 to herself, and secretly and very 

 cautiously had furthered to the best 

 of her ability. For what other reason 

 had she, at her time of life, left the 

 comforts of a well-ordered house in 

 88 



