s estimation, nor raised
in her own, by being the pet of a passing countess.

Who would not be charmed (he thought to himself) by this noble girl,
who walks the earth fresh and strong as a Greek goddess, pure as Diana,
stately as Juno? She belongs to the unspoiled womanhood of another age,
and is wasted among these dolls and butterflies.

He looked at her. She sat erect and graceful, unable to droop into the
debility of fashionable reclining,--her breezy hair lifted a little by
the soft wind, her face flushed, her full brown eyes looking eagerly
about, her mouth smiling happily. To be with those she loved best, and
to be driving over the beautiful earth! She was so happy that no mob of
fashionables could have lessened her enjoyment, or made her for a moment
conscious that anybody looked at her. The brilliant equipages which
they met each moment were not wholly uninteresting even to her, for her
affections went forth to some of the riders and to all the horses. She
was as well contented at that moment, on the glittering Avenue, as if
they had all been riding home through country lanes, and in constant
peril of being jolted out among the whortleberry-bushes.

Her face brightened yet more as they met a carriage containing a
graceful lady dressed with that exquisiteness of taste that charms both
man and woman, even if no man can analyze and no woman rival its effect.
She had a perfectly high-bred look, and an eye that in an instant would
calculate one's ancestors as far back as Nebuchadnezzar, and bow to them
all together. She smiled good-naturedly on Hope, and kissed her hand to
Kate.

"So, Hope," said Philip, "you are bent on teaching music to Mrs.
Meredith's children."

"Indeed I am!" said Hope, eagerly. "O Philip, I shall enjoy it so! I do
not care so very much about her, but she has dear little girls. And you
know I am a born drudge. I have not been working hard enough to enjoy
an entire vacation, but I shall be so very happy here if I can have some
real work for an hour or two every other day."

"Hope," said Philip, gravely, "look steadily at these people whom we are
meeting, and reflect. Should you like to have them say, 'There goes Mrs.
Meredith's music teacher'?"

"Why not?" said Hope, with surprise. "The children are young, and it is
not very presumptuous. I ought to know enough for that."

Malbone looked at Kate, who smiled with delight, and put her hand on
that of Hope. Indeed, she kept it there so long