ut Christmas; and then we will
make arrangements for a visit from you all. Oh yes, we must have you
all."

Lawrence accompanied the lady to the door, and Christina following with
Dolly earnestly begged for the meeting in Rome, and that Dolly would
spend Christmas with her. "I have so much to tell you," she said; "and
my--the gentleman I spoke of--will meet us in Rome; and he will spend
Christmas with us; and I want you to see him. I admire Mr. St. Leger,
very much!" she added in a confidential whisper.

"Mr. St. Leger is nothing to me," said Dolly steadily, looking in her
friend's face. "He is father's secretary, and is taking care of us till
my father can come."

"Oh, well, if he is not anything to you _now_, perhaps--you never know
what will be," said Christina. "He is very handsome! Don't you like
him? I long to know how you will like--Mr. Rayner."

"Who is he?" said Dolly, by way of saying something.

"Didn't I tell yon? He is first officer on board the 'Red Chief,' one
of our finest vessels of war; it is in the Mediterranean now; and we
expect him to come to us at Christmas. Manage to be at Rome then, do,
dear; and afterwards you must all come and make us a visit at our
villa, near Naples, and we'll show you everything."

"Christina," said Mrs. Thayer, when she and her daughter and her
husband were safe in the privacy of their carriage, "that is a son of
the rich English banker, St. Leger; they are _very_ rich. We must be
polite to him."

"You are polite to everybody, mamma."

"But _you_ must be polite to him."

"I'll try, mamma--if you wish it."

"I wish it, of course. You never know how useful such an acquaintance
may be to you. Is he engaged to that girl?"

"I think not, mamma. She says not."

"That don't prove anything, though."

"Yes, it does, with her. Dolly Copley was always downright--not like
the rest."

"Every girl thinks it is fair to fib about her lovers. However, I
thought _he_ looked at you, Christina, not exactly as if he were a
bound man."

"He is too late," said the girl carelessly. "I am a bound woman."

"Well, be civil to him," said her mother. "You never know what people
may do."

"I don't care, mamma. Mr. St. Leger's doings are of no importance to
me."

Mrs. Thayer was silent now; and her husband remarked that Mr. St. Leger
could not do better than pick up that pretty, wise-eyed little girl.

"Wise-eyed! she is that, isn't she?" cried Christina. "She always was.
She i