ly a moment. "She'll be bored to
death up here, won't she?" he asked, presently.

"Then she can go home again," replied Phebe, shortly.

"True, true," said her companion, thoughtfully. "I forgot that. And she
probably will. It would be like her to go if it bored her."

"Only there's Olly," said Phebe, grimly, the light fading out of her
face a little. "She'll have to stay for him."

"Oh, no. She can put him to board somewhere and leave him. Miss Vernor
doesn't concern herself overmuch with the young ones. They are an awful
nuisance to her."

"She does every thing for them. You can't know her," said Phebe,
indignantly. "Did you say you knew her well, Mr. De Forest?"

"I don't remember just what I said, Miss Lane, but it would have been the
truth if I did, and I generally speak the truth when it's equally
convenient. Yes, I do know Miss Vernor _very_ well, and I have worsted
her in a great many arguments,--you know her argumentative turn, perhaps?
If you will allow me, I will do myself the honor of calling upon her when
she comes,--and upon yourself, if I may have the pleasure."

"Not if you come with the intention of putting Gerald out of conceit with
Joppa. I want her to stay a long, long time."

"Don't be afraid, Miss Lane. I'll do my best to help keep her here, so
long, at least, as I stay myself. '_Apres cela le deluge_.'"

"I don't speak French."

"Ah? No? I regret it. You might have assisted me in my genders. I am
never altogether sure of them."

"Mr. De Forest," called Bell, imperatively, from the other side of the
room, displeased at the defalcation of her knight, "I want to introduce
you to Miss Mudge."

Miss Mudge tried to make Bell understand by frantic pantomime that she
hadn't meant just now,--any time would do,--but Bell chose it should be
just now; and slightly lifting his eyebrows, Mr. De Forest took his
handsome person slowly back to Bell to make an almost impertinently
indifferent bow to the new claimant upon him.

Mr. Halloway had been standing near Phebe, too near not to overhear the
conversation, and he turned to her now quickly.

"So this accounts for your beaming face," he said in a low tone, as he
took a seat just back of her in the window niche. "The mysterious Gerald
_is_ really coming, then. I wondered what had happened as soon as I saw
you. Why did you not tell me?"

"I was only waiting till I had the chance," she answered, all the
brightness coming back into her bonny face a