. No!--there he is!"

And sure enough, on the farthest edge of the lawn going towards the
park, she saw two figures walking--Lady Dunstable and Arthur! "Deep in
talk of course--having the best of times--while I am shut up
here--half-past six!--on a glorious evening!" The reflection, however,
was, on the whole, good-humoured. She did not feel, as yet, either
jealous or tragic. Some day, she supposed, if it was to be her lot to
visit country houses, she would get used to their ways. For Arthur, of
course, it was useful--perhaps necessary--to be put through his paces by
a woman like Lady Dunstable. "And he can hold his own. But for me? I
contribute nothing. I don't belong to them--they don't want me--and what
use have I for them?"

Her meditations, however, were here interrupted by a knock. On her
saying "Come in"--the door opened cautiously to admit the face of the
substantial lady, Miss Field, to whom Doris had been introduced at the
tea-table.

"Are you resting?" said Miss Field, "or only 'interned'?"

"Oh, please come in!" cried Doris. "I never was less tired in my life."

Miss Field entered, and took the armchair that Doris offered her,
fronting the open window and the summer scene. Her face would have
suited the Muse of Mirth, if any Muse is ever forty years of age. The
small, up-turned nose and full red lips were always smiling; so were the
eyes; and the fair skin and still golden hair, the plump figure and gay
dress of flower-sprigged muslin, were all in keeping with the part.

"You have never seen my cousin before?" she inquired.

"Lady Dunstable? Is she your cousin?"

Miss Field nodded. "My first cousin. And I spend a great part of the
year here, helping in different ways. Rachel can't do without me now, so
I'm able to keep her in order. Don't ever be shy with her! Don't ever
let her think she frightens you!--those are the two indispensable rules
here."

"I'm afraid I should break them," said Doris, slowly. "She does
frighten me--horribly!"

"Ah, well, you didn't show it--that's the chief thing. You know she's a
much more human creature than she seems."

"Is she?" Doris's eyes pursued the two distant figures in the park.

"You'd think, for instance, that Lord Dunstable was just a cipher? Not
at all. He's the real authority here, and when he puts his foot down
Rachel always gives in. But of course she's stood in the way of his
career."

Doris shrank a little from these indiscretions. But she could