" said Lady Disdain, with plenty of her chief
attribute in her voice. "I prefer that nobody should know I have any
feet."

"That is just it. Now, Miss Lenox never comes in or goes out of a room
but every man there knows the color of her stockings."

"I am ashamed of you, papa!--Scold him, Mrs. Randolph. I think him quite
horrid."

"Since, my mouse, you don't want to be admired for your feet and hands,
what points of your beauty may we venture to obtrude our notice upon?"

"Oh, you may love me for whatever you like. But I don't want other
people ever to think of me in that way at all."

"Your intellect is a safe point, perhaps."

"I do not want anybody to love me at all, papa, except yourself."

"Not even Floyd?"

"Floyd would never be silly," Helen said indignantly. "Floyd likes me
because we are old friends: he knew grandpa and you, papa, and all
that."

"You are easily satisfied if you are contented with affection on the
score of your aged relatives."

"How soundly he sleeps!" murmured Helen; and I knew that she bent close
to me as she spoke, for I could feel the warmth of her young cheeks.
Half to frighten her, half because I wanted to see how she looked as she
regarded me, I suddenly opened my eyes.

"You weren't asleep at all!" she exclaimed, laughing and quite
unembarrassed. "But I think you were wicked to hoax us so. Did you hear
everything we said?"

"Indeed, Helen," I said, "I was fast asleep, I do believe, until you
confessed your affection for me. You did not expect me to sleep through
that?"

She stared at me blankly, then looked at the others with dilating eyes.
"Did I say anything about that?" she asked, growing pale even to her
lips and tears gathering in her eyes.

"Why, no, you foolish child!" said her father, drawing her upon his
knee: "he is only teasing you. As if anybody had any affection for one
of the Seven Sleepers!--Well, Floyd, how happened you to come back so
soon? The carriage was going for you at midnight.--Here, Mills, Mr.
Randolph has already returned, and the coachman may go to bed."

"The day was pretty long," I returned. "I had had enough of it, and so
set out and walked back. I was well tired out when I came in, and that
put me to sleep."

"It was a shame for you to walk so far," exclaimed Helen imperiously:
"you are not strong enough for such an effort. There are eight horses in
the stables, every one of them pawing in his stall, longing for a
gallop, and for you