f her own sex. Be this as it may, May
Webster laid herself out to charm, and did it very successfully, and by
judicious management prevented her mother from asking any leading
questions as to Mr. Lessing's future line of conduct. Mrs. Webster's
small talk so often took the line of asking questions.

Paul was not properly grateful when he found the cards upon the
mantelshelf.

"It's a dreadful bore; but I'm afraid it can't be helped. You can
return the call sometime, and there will be an end of it."

"There may be for you, but there won't be for me!" said Sally, with
some spirit. "I'm catholic in my choice of companions, and mean to
include everybody who cares to know me. Mrs. Macdonald is charming,
and Allison amuses me, and Mrs. Pink and I have made friends over the
baby; but why I should refuse a proffer of friendship from Miss
Webster, because she happens to be a beauty and dresses well, I don't
exactly see!"

"Friendship!" echoed Paul, scornfully. "How little you know of smart
people and their ways. Friendship with them means a stepping-stone to
higher things; your means and your position must give them a leg up in
the world. Now we have neither."

"You are shaking my faith in you, Paul. You are judging without
knowing."

"I am not judging the Websters individually--only the class to which
they belong; of which I _do_ know something, and you nothing."

"Well, I think I will learn for myself then!" cried Sally. "I'll start
by believing people as nice as they appear, until I find them
otherwise."

"And are Mrs. and Miss Webster 'nice,' as you call it?" asked Paul, his
curiosity overcoming his vexation.

"I did not like Mrs. Webster much: the room did not seem big enough to
hold her."

"I told you so!" said Paul, triumphantly.

"Oh, Paul! you might be a woman," replied Sally, with mocking laughter.
"But listen; Miss Webster is as nice as she looks! Can you want more?"

"It's a good thing to be young and enthusiastic."

"Certainly better than being old and cynical," retorted Sally, saucily.

The next morning's post brought a crested envelope, directed in a
dashing hand, to Sally, inviting Paul and herself to dinner at the
Court on the following evening.

"We shall be simply a family party," wrote the lady; "but, with such
near neighbours, I thought it more friendly to invite you for the first
time quite informally."

"You don't want to go!" exclaimed Paul, who felt the meshes of the
soci