pel he knew was short and fair
and was married; the Mr. Lepel that came here, as I told him, was dark
and tall and engaged to Miss Vane."

"You had no right to tell him that, Parker; it is not public property."

"I beg your pardon, I'm sure, ma'am! I'd heard it so often that I
thought everybody knew."

"What else did this Mr. Dare say?"

"I don't remember, ma'am."

"Did he ask no other questions? Did he ask, for instance, whether Mr.
Lepel was not very fond of Miss Vane?"

"Well, yes, ma'am; now you mention it I think he did--though how you
came to guess it----"

"Never mind how I came to guess it. What did you say?"

"I said that he worshipped the ground she trod upon, and that she was
just the same with him."

"And pray how did you know that?"--Parker shuffled.

"Well, ma'am, I couldn't rightly say; but it's what is general with
young ladies and young gentlemen, and it wouldn't have looked well, I
thought, to ha' said anythink else."

"Oh, I see! The remark was purely conventional," said Flossy cynically.
"I congratulate you, Parker, on always doing as much harm as you can
whenever you take anything in hand. Did he seem pleased by what you
said?"

"Not exactly pleased, ma'am--nor displeased; I think, if anything, he
was more pleased than not."

"That will do," Mrs. Vane said shortly; and Parker retired, much
relieved in her mind by having come off, as she considered, so well.

Mrs. Vane proceeded to electrify the household the next morning by
declaring that she must at once go up to London in order to see her
dentist. She announced her intention at a time when the General, much to
his annoyance, could not possibly accompany her. She said to him very
sweetly that she had chosen that hour on purpose because she did not
want to put him to needless inconvenience, and that she preferred to go
with Parker only as her companion. She hated to be seen, she said, when
she was in pain.

The General fumed and fretted; but, as he had an important meeting to
attend at Whitminster that day, he could but put his wife into the train
and give Parker endless injunctions to be careful of her mistress.
Parker promised fervently to do all that lay in her power; and with a
serene smile Flossy listened to the General's orders and her maid's
asseverations with equal tranquility. They had the carriage to
themselves; and not until the train was nearly to London did Mrs. Vane
rouse herself from the restful semi-slumber in whi