just a quiet
little lady from California, who has never seen any of the kind of thing
that she has in her head.'

'That's just why she wants to see it, I suppose; and I don't know why
her being from California should prevent. At any rate she wants us to
have the best. Isn't the best taste in Paris?'

'Yes; and the worst.' It made him gloomy when she defended the old lady,
and to change the subject he asked: 'Aren't you sorry, this last night,
to leave your own country for such an indefinite time?'

It didn't cheer him up that the girl should answer: 'Oh, I would go
anywhere with mother!'

'And with _her_?' Raymond demanded, sarcastically, as Mademoiselle
Bourde came in sight, emerging from the drawing-room. She approached
them; they met her in a moment, and she informed Dora that Mrs. Temperly
wished her to come back and play a part of that composition of
Saint-Saens--the last one she had been learning--for Mr. and Mrs.
Parminter: they wanted to judge whether their daughter could manage it.

'I don't believe she can,' said Dora, smiling; but she was moving away
to comply when her companion detained her a moment.

Are you going to bid me good-bye?'

'Won't you come back to the drawing-room?'

'I think not; I don't like it.'

'And to mamma--you'll say nothing?' the girl went on.

'Oh, we have made our farewell; we had a special interview this
afternoon.'

'And you won't come to the ship in the morning?'

Raymond hesitated a moment. 'Will Mr. and Mrs. Parminter be there?'

'Oh, surely they will!' Mademoiselle Bourde declared, surveying the
young couple with a certain tactful serenity, but standing very close to
them, as if it might be her duty to interpose.

'Well then, I won't come.'

'Well, good-bye then,' said the girl gently, holding out her hand.

'Good-bye, Dora.' He took it, while she smiled at him, but he said
nothing more--he was so annoyed at the way Mademoiselle Bourde watched
them. He only looked at Dora; she seemed to him beautiful.

'My dear child--that poor Madame Parminter,' the governess murmured.

'I shall come over very soon,' said Raymond, as his companion turned
away.

'That will be charming.' And she left him quickly, without looking back.

Mademoiselle Bourde lingered--he didn't know why, unless it was to make
him feel, with her smooth, finished French assurance, which had the
manner of extreme benignity, that she was following him up. He sometimes
wondered whether she copied