guests welcome, old or
young, rich or poor. That is the Virginian way, isn't it, Harry? She
will tell him, when Catherine Hyde is angry with his old aunt, that they
were friends as girls, and ought not to quarrel now they are old women.
And she will not be wrong, will she, Duchess?" And herewith the
one dowager made a superb curtsey to the other, and the battle just
impending between them passed away.

"Egad, it was like Byng and Galissoniere!" cried Chaplain Sampson, as
Harry talked over the night's transactions with his tutor next morning.
"No power on earth, I thought, could have prevented those two from going
into action!"

"Seventy-fours at least--both of 'em!" laughs Harry.

"But the Baroness declined the battle, and sailed out of fire with
inimitable skill."

"Why should she be afraid? I have heard you say my aunt is as witty as
any woman alive, and need fear the tongue of no dowager in England."

"Hem! Perhaps she had good reasons for being peaceable!" Sampson knew
very well what they were, and that poor Bernstein's reputation was so
hopelessly flawed and cracked, that any sarcasms levelled at Madame
Walmoden were equally applicable to her.

"Sir," cried Harry, in great amazement, "you don't mean to say there is
anything against the character of my aunt, the Baroness de Bernstein!"

The chaplain looked at the young Virginian with such an air of utter
wonderment, that the latter saw there must be some history against his
aunt, and some charge which Sampson did not choose to reveal. "Good
heavens!" Harry groaned out, "are there two then in the family, who
are----?"

"Which two?" asked the chaplain.

But here Harry stopped, blushing very red. He remembered, and we shall
presently have to state, whence he had got his information regarding the
other family culprit, and bit his lip, and was silent.

"Bygones are always unpleasant things, Mr. Warrington," said the
chaplain; "and we had best hold our peace regarding them. No man or
woman can live long in this wicked world of ours without some scandal
attaching to them, and I fear our excellent Baroness has been no more
fortunate than her neighbours. We cannot escape calumny, my dear young
friend! You have had sad proof enough of that in your brief stay amongst
us. But we can have clear consciences, and that is the main point!" And
herewith the chaplain threw his handsome eyes upward, and tried to look
as if his conscience was as white as the ceiling.

"Ha