ention of Nan's name, and he begged that the girl
might be allowed to come over to see him "often--as often as possible,"
in a tone of unmistakable sincerity. Mrs Rendell assented graciously;
and, mindful of the reproaches which would be hurled at her head if she
returned without doing her best for every member of the family,
suggested that perhaps Mr Vanburgh would like to make the acquaintance
of the other girls also! He hesitated for a moment, but looked
gratified by the suggestion.

"If they would not find it too dull. I am fond of young people, but am
always afraid of boring them by my company. Our lives lie so far apart.
Perhaps they would come over at different times, and let me make their
acquaintance by degrees. The two younger ones especially--your own
daughter and the little girl who is her friend."

On the score of this distinction, Christabel and Kitty were the first
couple to take advantage of the invitation and cross the road to
interview Diogenes in his den. They confided in each other that they
were "simply dying of fright," but contrived to conceal their expiring
condition beneath haughty and dignified exteriors. The manner in which
Chrissie requested the old butler to inform his master of their advent
would have done credit to a princess of the blood, while Kitty stalked
upstairs behind her with majestic gravity. Outside the dreaded door,
however, it was impossible to resist exchanging a grimace of agitation,
and it was another instance of the contrariety of men that the butler
should turn his head at that inopportune moment, and discover them so
employed. Chrissie grew red with mortification, and Kitty spluttered
with laughter; so, after all, it was in the guise of two blushing,
giggling schoolgirls that they made Mr Vanburgh's acquaintance, instead
of that of self-possessed women of the world, as they had fondly hoped
would be the case. He looked from one to the other as they sat before
him--big, bonnie, well-grown girls, with flaming locks and fresh
complexions, and there was a great wistfulness in his gaze. The girls
felt it; and though the meaning thereof was a mystery, they understood
that here was an understanding, sympathetic soul, and immediately lost
their feeling of shyness.

In ten minutes' time they had confided to him their dream of the "Select
Academy," and he had promised to recommend the school to his friends,
with a seriousness which was balm to their vanity. Nothing is