to let Mr. Ovid" (she laid a bitterly strong emphasis on the name, and
flushed angrily)--"I am not to let Mr. Ovid and Miss Carmina be alone
together."

"You are a good guesser," Mrs. Gallilee remarked quietly.

"No," said Miss Minerva more quietly still; "I have only seen what you
have seen."

"Did I tell you what I have seen?"

"Quite needless, ma'am. Your son is in love with his cousin. When am I
to be ready?"

The bland mistress mentioned the hour. The rude governess left the room.

Mrs. Gallilee looked at the closing door with a curious smile. She had
already suspected Miss Minerva of being crossed in love. The suspicion
was now confirmed, and the man was discovered.

"Soured by a hopeless passion," she said to herself. "And the object
is--my son."

CHAPTER XI.

On entering the Zoological Gardens, Ovid turned at once to the right,
leading Carmina to the aviaries, so that she might begin by seeing the
birds. Miss Minerva, with Maria in dutiful attendance, followed them.
Teresa kept at a little distance behind; and Zo took her own erratic
course, now attaching herself to one member of the little party, and now
to another.

When they reached the aviaries the order of march became confused;
differences in the birds made their appeal to differences in the
taste of the visitors. Insatiably eager for useful information, that
prize-pupil Maria held her governess captive at one cage; while Zo
darted away towards another, out of reach of discipline, and good Teresa
volunteered to bring her back. For a minute, Ovid and his cousin were
left alone. He might have taken a lover's advantage even of that small
opportunity. But Carmina had something to say to him--and Carmina spoke
first.

"Has Miss Minerva been your mother's governess for a long time?" she
inquired.

"For some years," Ovid replied. "Will you let me put a question on my
side? Why do you ask?"

Carmina hesitated--and answered in a whisper, "She looks ill-tempered."

"She _is_ ill-tempered," Ovid confessed. "I suspect," he added with a
smile, "you don't like Miss Minerva."

Carmina attempted no denial; her excuse was a woman's excuse all over:
"She doesn't like _me."_

"How do you know?"

"I have been looking at her. Does she beat the children?"

"My dear Carmina! do you think she would be my mother's governess if she
treated the children in that way? Besides, Miss Minerva is too well-bred
a woman to degrade herself by acts of violence.