that "the perfectly swell Miss
Von Taer" was seated in her reception room. She rushed to Louise, who,
wholly innocent of any knowledge of the intrigue which had led to this
climax, opened her blue eyes in astonishment and said with a gasp:

"Oh, mother! what shall I do?"

"Do? Why, go down and make yourself agreeable, of course. It's your
chance, my dear, your great chance in life! Go--go! Don't, for heaven's
sake, keep her waiting."

Louise went down. In her most affable and gracious way she approached
the visitor and said:

"It is very nice of you to call upon me. I am _so_ glad to meet Miss Von
Taer." Diana, passing conversational nothings with the young girl, was
pleased by her appearance and self-possession. This aspirant for social
honors was fresh, fair and attractive, with a flow of small talk at her
tongue's end.

"Really," thought the fastidious visitor, "this one, at least, will do
me no discredit. If she is a fair sample of the others we shall get
along very nicely In this enterprise."

To Louise she said, before going:

"I'm to have an evening, the nineteenth. Will you assist me to receive?
Now that we are acquainted I wish to see more of you, my dear, and I
predict we shall get along famously together."

The girl's head swam. Help Miss Von Taer to receive! Such an honor had
been undreamed of an hour ago. But she held her natural agitation under
good control and only a round red spot Upon each cheek betrayed her
inward excitement as she prettily accepted the invitation. Beneath their
drooping lashes Diana's sagacious eyes read the thoughts of the girl
quite accurately. Miss Von Taer enjoyed disconcerting anyone in any way,
and Louise was so simple and unsophisticated that she promised to afford
considerable amusement in the future.

By the time Diana had finished her brief call this singular creature had
taken the measure of Louise Merrick in every detail, including her
assumption of lightness and her various frivolities. She understood that
in the girl were capabilities for good or for evil, as she might be led
by a stronger will. And, musingly, Diana wondered who would lead her.

As for Louise, she was enraptured by her distinguished visitor's
condescension and patronage, and her heart bounded at the thought of
being admitted to the envied social coterie in which Diana Von Taer
shone a bright, particular star.

The second name in the list of John Merrick's nieces was that of
Elizabeth De G