r skin being very dark, and not over clear,
the red blood coursing under it dyed her cheek, not "celestial, rosy
red," but a warm mahogany colour. Perhaps a consciousness of this
deepened the unpleasant blushing fit, to which, like most sensitive
people at her age, she was always rather prone.

"Not," continued Mrs. Thornycroft, watching her,--"not that I think any
love affair is likely to happen in your case; Major Harper is far too
much of a settled-down bachelor, and at the same time too old."

Agatha pulled a comical face, and made a few solemn allusions to
Methuselah. She had a peculiarly quick, even abrupt manner of speaking,
saying a dozen words in the time most young ladies would take to drawl
out three; and possessing, likewise, the rare feminine quality of never
saying a word more than was necessary.

"Agatha, how funny you are!" laughed her easily-amused friend. "But,
dear, tell me who else is coming?" And she glanced doubtfully down on a
gown that looked like a marriage-silk "dyed and renovated."

"Oh, no ladies--and gentlemen never see whether one is dressed in
brocade or sackcloth," returned Agatha, rather maliciously;--"only,
'old Major Harper' as you are pleased to call him, and"----

"Nay, I didn't call him very old--just forty, or thereabouts--though he
does not look anything like it. Then he is so handsome, and, I must say,
Agatha, pays you such extreme attention."

Agatha laughed again--the quick, light-hearted laugh of nineteen--and
her brown eyes brightened with innocent pleasure.

Young Mrs. Thornycroft again looked down uneasily at her dress--not from
overmuch vanity, but because her hounded mind recurred instinctively
from extraneous or large interests to individual and lesser ones.

"Is there really any one particular coming, my dear? Of course, _you_
have no trouble about evening dress; mourning is such easy comfortable
wear." (Agatha turned her head quickly aside.) "That handsome silk
of yours looks quite well still; and mamma there," glancing at the
contentedly knitting Mrs. Hill--"old ladies never require much dress;
but if you had only told me to prepare for company"----

"Pretty company! Merely our own circle--Dr. Ianson, Mrs. Ianson, and
Miss Ianson--you need not mind outshining her now"----

"No, indeed! I am married."

"Then the 'company' dwindles down to two besides yourselves; Major
Harper and his brother."

"Oh! What sort of a person is the brother?"

"I really don't