after it was hers.

"And now--I wonder if you couldn't help me choose a grand piano?" she
suggested, as the last antiquarian bowed them out.

"A piano?"

"Yes: for Ruan. I'm sending one down for Grace Fulmer. She's coming to
stay... did I tell you? I want people to hear her. I want her to get
engagements in London. My dear, she's a Genius."

"A Genius--Grace!" Susy gasped. "I thought it was Nat...."

"Nat--Nat Fulmer?" Ursula laughed derisively. "Ah, of course--you've been
staying with that silly Violet! The poor thing is off her head about
Nat--it's really pitiful. Of course he has talent: I saw that long
before Violet had ever heard of him. Why, on the opening day of the
American Artists' exhibition, last winter, I stopped short before his
'Spring Snow-Storm' (which nobody else had noticed till that moment),
and said to the Prince, who was with me: 'The man has talent.' But
genius--why, it's his wife who has genius! Have you never heard Grace
play the violin? Poor Violet, as usual, is off on the wrong tack. I've
given Fulmer my garden-house to do--no doubt Violet told you--because
I wanted to help him. But Grace is my discovery, and I'm determined to
make her known, and to have every one understand that she is the genius
of the two. I've told her she simply must come to Ruan, and bring the
best accompanyist she can find. You know poor Nerone is dreadfully bored
by sport, though of course he goes out with the guns. And if one didn't
have a little art in the evening.... Oh, Susy, do you mean to tell me
you don't know how to choose a piano? I thought you were so fond of
music!"

"I am fond of it; but without knowing anything about it--in the way
we're all of us fond of the worthwhile things in our stupid set,"
she added to herself--since it was obviously useless to impart such
reflections to Ursula.

"But are you sure Grace is coming?" she questioned aloud.

"Quite sure. Why shouldn't she? I wired to her yesterday. I'm giving her
a thousand dollars and all her expenses."

It was not till they were having tea in a Piccadilly tea-room that Mrs.
Gillow began to manifest some interest in her companion's plans. The
thought of losing Susy became suddenly intolerable to her. The Prince,
who did not see why he should be expected to linger in London out of
season, was already at Ruan, and Ursula could not face the evening and
the whole of the next day by herself.

"But what are you doing in town, darling, I don't reme