ble old person! How you ever endured
her as you did, I cannot understand. Remember young Chamberlain?
Handsome fellow with big nose and square shoulders. I met him the other
day in Piccadilly with a brand-new wife. Married the week he came back,
after seven years' engagement. Introduced me to his wife with as much
side as if no one had ever been married before!"

"How sweet of him! He was a really nice man. He always went into the
services on Sunday, and joined ira the hymns, instead of lolling about
at the other end of the deck, like many of the men. He had some friends
travelling second-class, too, and wasn't a bit ashamed of it, but used
to go and see them regularly. I hope he will be very, very happy. Was
she pretty?"

"Not an atom! Might have been once on a time, perhaps, in the
prehistoric ages, but she is too pale and faded nowadays. By no means
in her first bloom, I assure you."

"Well, she has lost it in waiting for him, so he would be a mean wretch
if he liked her any the worse. _Such_ a joke! You remember that fat
old man with the crimson face who was so furious with little Miss Muir
when she spoke against Gladstone? He jumped up and down like a Jack in
the Box, and said he was `surprised, madam, that any one of your
intelligence, madam, should be so blinded by prejudice, madam--' You
remember how we looked on from afar, and christened him `A Study in
Scarlet'? Well, two days ago, mother had a letter from Miss Muir
herself, and they are going to be married in August! It seems he never
rested until he converted her to his own views, and then he was so
pleased with her for agreeing with him that this is the result. She
seems so happy, poor old dear, and says that though hot-tempered he has
a warm and loving heart. I notice that people with especially violent
tempers always take refuge behind the plea of loving hearts! Whom else
have you seen?"

"I had an invitation to call upon the Shores, and went on Sunday week.
Miss Eveline was in greater form than ever. I am sure you would have
liked to see her."

Peggy shrugged her shoulders viciously.

"K-r-r-eature! Don't allude to her in my presence, please. No one
shall hear me breathe a word about a member of my own sex, but of all
the miserable, contemptible, mean little wretches that ever breathed,
she was the worst! I'll _never_ have anything to say to a girl who
snubs her own mother before strangers, and makes fun of her poor old
fa