g in wit, and radiant of
happiness, just now, as a young woman should be who has married the man
of her heart. "But let me present you--to Lady Caroline Vyell and Miss
Diana."

Dicky bowed again. "I am sorry, ma'am," he repeated, addressing Lady
Caroline. "Mr. Hanmer has put out his pipe, you see, and the window is
open."

Lady Caroline carried an eyeglass with a long handle of tortoise-shell.
Through it she treated Dicky to a deliberate and disconcerting scrutiny,
and lowered it to turn and ask Mrs. Harry,--

"You permit him to call you 'Aunt Sarah'?"

Mrs. Harry laughed. "It sounds better, you will admit, than
'Aunt Sally,' and don't necessitate my carrying a pipe in my mouth.
Oh yes," she added, with a glance at the boy's flushed face, "Dicky and
I are great friends. In any one's presence but Mr. Hanmer's I would say
'the best of friends.'"

Lady Caroline turned her eyeglass upon Mr. Hanmer. "Is this--er--
gentleman his tutor?" she asked.

The question, and the sight of the lieutenant's mental distress, set
Mrs. Harry laughing again. "In seamanship only. Mr. Hanmer is my
husband's second-in-command and one of the best officers in the Navy."

"I consider smoking a filthy habit," said Lady Caroline.

"Yes, ma'am," murmured Mr. Hanmer.

The odious eyeglass was turned upon Dicky again. He, to avoid it,
glanced aside at Miss Diana. He found Miss Diana less unpleasant than
her mother, but attractive only by contrast. She was a tall woman,
handsome but somewhat haggard, with a face saved indeed from peevishness
by its air of distinction, but scornful and discontented. She had been
riding, and her long, close habit became her well, as did her
wide-brimmed hat, severely trimmed with a bow of black ribbon and a
single ostrich feather.

"Diana," said Lady Caroline, but without removing her stony stare,
"the child favours his mother."

"Indeed!" the girl answered indifferently. "I never met her."

"Oliver has her portrait somewhere, I believe. We must get him to show
it to us. A toast in her day, and quite notably good-looking--though
after a style I abominate." She turned to Mrs. Harry and explained:
"One of your helpless clinging women. In my experience that sort does
incomparably the worst mischief."

"Oh, hush, please!" murmured Mrs. Harry.

But Lady Caroline came of a family addicted to speaking its thoughts
aloud. "Going to sea, is he? Well, on the whole Oliver couldn't do
better. Th