sobbing with an odd effect as
she put forth this pretension for her sister.

'Then she's worse than I thought. I don't mind them so much when they
are merry but I hate them when they are sentimental.'

'She's so changed--so changed!' Laura Wing went on.

'Never, never, my dear: _c'est de naissance_.'

'You never knew my mother,' returned the girl; 'when I think of
mother----' The words failed her while she sobbed.

'I daresay she was very nice,' said Lady Davenant gently. 'It would take
that to account for you: such women as Selina are always easily enough
accounted for. I didn't mean it was inherited--for that sort of thing
skips about. I daresay there was some improper ancestress--except that
you Americans don't seem to have ancestresses.'

Laura gave no sign of having heard these observations; she was occupied
in brushing away her tears. 'Everything is so changed--you don't know,'
she remarked in a moment. 'Nothing could have been happier--nothing
could have been sweeter. And now to be so dependent--so helpless--so
poor!'

'Have you nothing at all?' asked Lady Davenant, with simplicity.

'Only enough to pay for my clothes.'

'That's a good deal, for a girl. You are uncommonly dressy, you know.'

'I'm sorry I seem so. That's just the way I don't want to look.'

'You Americans can't help it; you "wear" your very features and your
eyes look as if they had just been sent home. But I confess you are not
so smart as Selina.'

'Yes, isn't she splendid?' Laura exclaimed, with proud inconsequence.
'And the worse she is the better she looks.'

'Oh my child, if the bad women looked as bad as they are----! It's only
the good ones who can afford that,' the old lady murmured.

'It was the last thing I ever thought of--that I should be ashamed,'
said Laura.

'Oh, keep your shame till you have more to do with it. It's like lending
your umbrella--when you have only one.'

'If anything were to happen--publicly--I should die, I should die!' the
girl exclaimed passionately and with a motion that carried her to her
feet. This time she settled herself for departure. Lady Davenant's
admonition rather frightened than sustained her.

The old woman leaned back in her chair, looking up at her. 'It would be
very bad, I daresay. But it wouldn't prevent me from taking you in.'

Laura Wing returned her look, with eyes slightly distended, musing.
'Think of having to come to that!'

Lady Davenant burst out laughing. 'Yes, yes