t was some consolation to know she had still a child's faith.

Then came an interruption in the shape of a footman, with Sir Oswald's
compliments, and would the ladies go to the drawing-room? There were
visitors.

"Who are they?" asked Miss Darrell, abruptly.

The man replied:

"Sir George and Lady Hampton."

"I shall not go," said Pauline, decidedly; "that woman sickens me with
her false airs and silly, false graces. I have not patience to talk to
her."

"Sir Oswald will not be pleased," remonstrated Miss Hastings.

"That I cannot help--it is not my fault. I shall not make myself a
hypocrite to please Sir Oswald."

"Society has duties which must be discharged, and which do not depend
upon our liking; we must do our duty whether we like it or not."

"I detest society," was the abrupt reply--"it is all a sham!"

"Then why not do your best to improve it? That would surely be better
than to abuse it."

"There is something in that," confessed Miss Darrell, slowly.

"If we each do our little best toward making the world even ever so
little better than we found it," said Miss Hastings, "we shall not have
lived in vain."

There was a singular grandeur of generosity about the girl. If she saw
that she was wrong in an argument or an opinion, she admitted it with
the most charming candor. That admission she made now by rising at once
to accompany Miss Hastings.

The drawing-room at Darrell Court was a magnificent apartment; it had
been furnished under the superintendence of the late Lady Darrell, a
lady of exquisite taste. It was all white and gold, the white hangings
with bullion fringe and gold braids, the white damask with a delicate
border of gold; the pictures, the costly statues gleamed in the midst of
rich and rare flowers; graceful ornaments, tall, slender vases were
filled with choicest blossoms; the large mirrors, with their golden
frames, were each and all perfect in their way. There was nothing gaudy,
brilliant, or dazzling; all was subdued, in perfect good taste and
harmony.

In this superb room the beauty of Pauline Darrell always showed to
great advantage; she was in perfect keeping with its splendor. As she
entered now, with her usual half-haughty, half-listless grace, Sir
Oswald looked up with admiration plainly expressed on his face.

"What a queenly mistress she would make for the Court, if she would but
behave like other people!" he thought to himself, and then Lady Hampton
rose to greet t