dy knew where you
were, and they said they'd send, and it's simply awful the way these
wretches stare!" cried Mellicent in a rush, "They sit round in rows, and
glare as if they had nothing in the world to do but quiz the poor new
arrivals as they come in at the door."

"Which, my dear, is precisely the state of the case. It _is_
disconcerting, especially when you arrive in the evening, after a
tempestuous Channel passage, and step into a hall aglow with diamonds
and eye-glasses; but turn about is fair play!" cried Peggy reassuringly.
"To-morrow you and I will quiz in our turn, and just think how we shall
enjoy it. Father and I have sat together for hours, criticising and
inventing histories, and you have no idea how entertaining it is.
You'll simply love it."

"No, I sha'n't. It's unkind and cruel, and must make people simply
dread coming in. If I were the manager, I wouldn't allow it!" declared
Mellicent in righteous wrath; then her eyes turned to her companion, and
a tardy realisation of the position seemed to dawn upon her. "Oh,
Peggy!" she cried, and again, "Oh, Peggy! I'm _so_ glad to see you
again. It has seemed such a long, long time since you went away, and
there was no one like you--no one who could ever take your place."

Peggy gave an affectionate little grip to the blue serge arm, but made
none of the protests which usually follow such an announcement. Modesty
not being her strong point, she saw no reason to dispute Mellicent's
assertion, so smiled instead, and cried reassuringly:

"Never mind, I'm back again now, and never going away no more! Dear old
Chubs, you look so fresh, and pink-and-white and Englishy, that it does
me good to see you. This is our sitting-room, and you must come in and
say how do you do to father and mother, and have some tea. Father is
going out with a friend presently, and mother will have a rest in her
bedroom, so we shall have a cosy little chat by ourselves. Don't look
alarmed! They are not a bit fierce, I assure you, but a most mild and
agreeable old couple."

As she spoke Peggy threw open the door of the sitting-room, and the mild
and agreeable couple bestowed the kindliest of greetings upon their
young visitor; but the surroundings were all so strange and formal that
country-bred Mellicent was overpowered, and could only blush and stammer
in school-girl fashion. Her own perfect consciousness of the fact added
fuel to her embarrassment, and a full-length mirr