made a rush to the objects of her worship, and kneeling down on the
floor opposite to them, whipped out her sketching materials preparatory
to work.

"Tony, you must at least allow me to introduce you to Mrs. Lorrimer
before you begin to sketch," said Susy, who had perfectly recovered her
own equanimity in the amusement which Antonia's conduct afforded her.

"Yes, yes, anything," muttered Antonia "Oh, these dragons are a prize;
they are a prize. Yes, Susy, what is it you want?"

"Get up," said Susy, "and come and be introduced."

She pulled Antonia by her sleeve, who rose in a sort of dream and
approached Mrs. Lorrimer, looking like a person in a trance.

"This is my friend, Antonia Bernard Temple," exclaimed Susy, addressing
Mrs. Lorrimer.

"I am glad to see you, my dear," said Mrs. Lorrimer in her sweet voice;
"and I am pleased to find that you appreciate the old china."

"The dragons? Superb; Ruskinesque," exclaimed Antonia. "You don't mind
if I go back to them? I must seize the opportunity of transferring them
to my note book. Oh, what a heavenly room this is! Old, disorderly,
worn, dim with the hue of ages. An artist might grovel in this
room--grovel with delight!"

"Well, go back and grovel over the dragons," exclaimed Susy, giving her
friend a playful poke.

Antonia hurried to obey. Her work instantly absorbed her; she saw
nothing else.

"Isn't she killing?" exclaimed Susy, addressing poor surprised Mrs.
Lorrimer. "She's to be a sort of sister to Hester in the future; she's
to live at the Grange. She's the daughter of Sir John Thornton's
_fiancee_. Don't you love the word _fiancee?_ I do. Did you know that at
school we called Hetty Prunes and Prism? Fancy Prunes and Prism and the
Priestess together. Its almost too killing."

Mrs. Lorrimer, gentle as she was, was also the soul of quiet dignity.
She made no reply whatever to Susy's outburst with regard to Antonia, but
gently led the conversation to matters of every-day interest.

"This is our largest drawing-room," she said, "but we have two others
leading into it. The farthest drawing-room takes you into the
dining-room, and that again into the library and morning-room. All our
reception-rooms open one into the other. You will notice that they are
built round the central hall, which is almost octagon in shape. I am
sure you would like to see the house, and I do not at all object to
showing it to you. Ah! here comes Jane Macalister. I'm sure she will