ughty sister-in-law, who has been wandering about all the
morning alone, and making us quite uneasy."

"What! In search of further adventures--eh?" asked Colonel Ormonde,
rising and making an elaborate bow. He spoke in a tone half paternal,
half gallant, in right of which elderly gentlemen sometimes take
liberties.

"I went to do a commission for my mother," said Katherine,
indifferently.

"Ah! if we had a corps of such _commissionnaires_ as you are, we should
spend our lives sending and receiving messages," returned the Colonel,
with a laugh. He spoke in short authoritative sentences, with a loud
harsh voice, and in what might be termed the "big bow-wow" style.

"You must not believe all Colonel Ormonde says," observed the fair
widow, smiling and slightly shaking her head. "He is a very faithless
man."

"By George! Mrs. Liddell, I don't deserve such a character from _you_.
But"--addressing Katherine, who had simply looked at him with quiet,
contemplative eyes--"I hope you have recovered from your fright of
yesterday. I never saw eyes or cheeks express terror so eloquently."

"Yes, I was dreadfully frightened, and very, very grateful to the
gentleman who saved poor Cecil. I hope he was not hurt?"

"Shall I tell him to come and report himself in person?"

"No, thank you."

"Wouldn't you like to thank him again? It might be a pleasant process to
both parties--eh?"

Katherine smiled good-humoredly, while she thought, "What an idiot!"

"Katherine is a very serious young woman," said Mrs. Frederic--"quite
too awfully in earnest; is always striving painfully to do her duty. She
despises frivolities and never dreams of flirtation."

"This is an appalling description," said Ormonde. "Pray is it on
principle you renounce flirtation?"

"For a much better reason," replied Katherine, wearily. "Because I have
no one to flirt with."

"By Jove! there's a state of destitution! Why, it is a blot on society
that you should be left lamenting."

"Yes; is it not melancholy?" replied Katherine, carelessly. "Ada, I am
so tired I am sure you will excuse me if I go away to rest?"

"Before you go," said Ormonde, eagerly, "I have a request to make. A
chum of mine, Sir James Brereton, and myself are going up the river on
Thursday, with some friends of Mrs. Liddell's--a picnic affair. Your
sister-in-law has promised to honor me with her company, and I earnestly
hope _you_ will accompany her. I promise you shall be induced to res