rfuges, Celine," she said, in her loftiest tone. "I
desire to know what was said of my--Mr. Percy."

The girl arose to her feet, and with much apparent reluctance,
replied:

"They said, mademoiselle--of course, it was only gossip--that he was
very much of a fortune-hunter, and that he was engaged to some woman
much older than himself, who was immensely rich."

Miss Arthur sat down and looked hard at her maid. "How do you know
that Mr. Percy is that man?"

"Oh! I don't know, my lady--mademoiselle. I only said that I thought I
have seen him in Baltimore; the Mr. Percy they used to talk of there,
must have been another."

Miss Arthur looked like an ancient Sphinx. "Do you think that Mr.
Percy is that man?" she asked.

"_Merci!_ my lady, how can I tell that? It might have been he; and the
old woman there might have disappointed him, you know," artlessly.

Miss Arthur was literally speechless with rage. Without replying, she
rose and swept into the adjoining room, closing the door behind her
with a bang.

Celine smiled comfortably, and went to minister unto Cora, to whom she
confided her belief that Miss Arthur was dissatisfied with her, and
meant to discharge her. "And only think, madame," she said
plaintively, "it is all because, in an unguarded moment, I compared
her to an old woman. It is so hard to remember, always, that you must
not tell an old woman she is not young."

And Cora laughed immoderately, for she much enjoyed her
sister-in-law's discomfiture.

But Miss Arthur did not dismiss the matter from her mind, when she
banged the door upon Celine. Angry as she had been with that damsel,
it was not anger alone that moved her. Jealousy was at work, and
suspicion.

That evening, sitting beside her lover, she said to him, carelessly:
"By the way, Edward, were you ever in Baltimore?"

The gentleman stroked his blonde whiskers, and smiled languidly as he
answered: "In Baltimore? Oh, yes; I think there are few cities I have
not visited." And then something in the face of Miss Arthur made him
inquire, with a slight acceleration of speech: "But why do you ask?"

Miss Arthur considered for a moment, and replied: "My maid, Celine,
thinks that she has seen you there."

She was watching him keenly, and fancied that he looked just a trifle
annoyed, even when he smiled lazily at her, saying: "Indeed! And when
is your maid supposed to have seen me there?"

"I don't know when,"--Miss Arthur was beginning to feel i