ad over
her one good notice--a great treasure--that had appeared in an evening
paper, and had spoken of her as "_a young actress with a bright and
winsome personality_." That was in a very small part, ten years ago.
Would she ever get another real chance?

CHAPTER XIX

AT MISS WESTBURY'S

Mrs. Wyburn found Miss Westbury being sensible and decided and holding
forth about things in general to one or two friends over the tea-cups.
Something in the way the old lady sat down and unfastened her mantle, so
as to be sure to feel the benefit of it when she went out again, made
the other women present feel that they were not wanted, and Miss
Westbury did not attempt to detain them. For (though she would not have
put it like that) she knew that she would get more fun out of her
friend's _mechancete_ if they were alone. Scandal, gossip made tedious
by morality, is only really enjoyable _en tete-a-tete_.

"I do so hope, Isabella, that you haven't had any more annoyance about
the silly things that are being said about your pretty daughter-in-law,"
remarked Miss Westbury, leaning back with the comfortable amiability of
a fat woman who expects to be amused.

Mrs. Wyburn looked round the room.

"Curious you never have your ceiling painted," she said. "I've often
wondered why it is. It looks--you'll forgive me for saying so, Millie,
won't you?--as if you left it in its present state from motives of, may
I say, economy? But, of course, I know it isn't that--I always say, it's
simply that you haven't noticed it. Thanks, no--no tea."

Miss Westbury's serenity was slightly disturbed, as her friend intended.

"I certainly don't spend my whole time lying on my back looking at the
ceiling," she answered rather brusquely. "I have far too much to do."

"I never suggested that you should," quickly replied Mrs. Wyburn. "Such
a thing never occurred to me for a single moment. And please don't think
I wish to interfere, or to make remarks about anything that doesn't
concern me. It merely struck me that if, at any time, you thought by
some curious chance of having the house done up, it might be a pity to
leave out the ceiling. But that was all. I do assure you, Millie, I
never dreamt of hurting your feelings."

Miss Westbury laughed with a rather cackling sound--a sound Mrs. Wyburn
recognised with satisfaction. It showed just the degree of slight
annoyance she loved to cause in any one to whom she was speaking. Miss
Westbury, howeve