ood and others don't. No
one around here wants to be on the stage but me, or seems to
understand that actresses are made out of ordinary people like you and
me. 'Dora' doesn't know anything about the stage, but Mr Ernest does.
He doesn't think them terrible women, and says that his best woman
friend was an actress once. If you thought grandma could be brought
round at all I wouldn't go out with Dora to-morrow, I'd go with you to
get out of it. Mr Ernest seemed to be very pleased with Ada
Grosvenor; is she the same style as his young lady?"

This question wasn't asked because Dawn was transparent, but because I
had led her to believe I was dense.

"No, not at all," I replied.

"What is she like?"

"She's about five feet five, and has a plump, dimpling figure. Her
hair is bright brown, and her nose is an exquisitely cut little
straight one. (Here I observed Dawn casting surreptitious glances in
the mirror opposite.) Her eyes are bright blue with long dark lashes,
and she has a mouth too pretty to describe, fitted up with a set of
the loveliest natural teeth one could see in these days of the
dentist; it is so perfect that it seems unnatural and a sad pity that
it should sometimes be the outlet of censorious remarks about less
beautiful sisters, but its owner is very young and not surrounded by
the best of influences at present, and no doubt will have better sense
as she grows older."

"What's her name?"

"Now you want to know too much, but I never knew another girl with
such a beautiful one."

"She must be a beauty altogether," said Dawn rather satirically.

"She would be if she would only guard against being cross at times,
but you must not breathe this to a soul as I'm only going on
supposition. Young Ernest isn't engaged to her, but I've seen him with
her once or twice, and he looked so pleased that I suspected him of
kind regards, as no man could help admiring her."

"Is that all?" she said in a tone of relief; "he mightn't care for
her at all. Just walking about with her and looking happy isn't any
criterion. Men are always doing that with every girl."

"Dora didn't look happy with me to-night then--how do you account for
that?"

She accounted for it with a merry laugh, as curled in the silk kimono
she remained in possession of my nightly couch.

I was espousing this girl's cause because I could not bear to see her
honest, wholesome youth and beauty making fuel for disappointment and
bitterness as mi