er do to invite them to Brooklyn or to make too
much of them. Miss Middleton had ranged herself completely on her
father's side, but at the sight of Nan's sweet face and her grave
little bow she forgot all her prudent resolutions, and her hand was
held out as though to an equal.

"I have come to ask you if you will be good enough to make me a
dress," she said, with a charming smile. "You have succeeded so well
with Miss Drummond that I cannot help wishing to have one too." And
when she had said this she looked quietly round her, and surveyed the
pretty work-room, and Dulce sitting at the sewing-machine, and lastly
Phillis's bright, intelligent face, as she stood by the table turning
over some fashion-books.

At that moment Mrs. Challoner entered the room with her little
work-basket, and placed herself at the other window. Miss Middleton
began talking to her at once, while Nan measured and pinned.

"I don't think I ever spent a pleasanter half-hour," she told her
father afterwards. "Mattie was right in what she said: they have made
the work-room perfectly lovely with pictures and old china: and
nothing could be nicer than their manners,--so simple and unassuming,
yet with a touch of independence too."

"And the old lady?" inquired the colonel, maliciously, for he had seen
Mrs. Challoner in church, and knew better than to speak of her so
disrespectfully.

"Old lady, father! why, she is not old at all. She is an exceedingly
pleasing person, only a little stately in her manner; one would not
venture to take a liberty with her. We had such a nice talk while the
eldest daughter was fitting me. Is it not strange, father dear, that
they know the Paines? and Mrs. Sartoris is an old acquaintance of
theirs. I think they were a little sorry when they heard we knew them
too, for the second girl colored up so when I said Adelaide was your
goddaughter."

"Humph? we will have Adelaide down here, and hear all about them,"
responded her father, briskly.

"Well, I don't know; I am afraid that would be painful to them, under
their changed circumstances. Just as we were talking about Adelaide,
Miss Mewlstone came in; and then they were so busy that I did not like
to stay any longer. Ah, there is Mr. Drummond coming to interrupt us,
as usual."

And then the colonel retailed all this for Archie's benefit. He had
come in to glean a crumb or two of intelligence, if he could, about
the Challoners' movements, and the colonel's garrulit