s rendered his
appearance unfortunately simian. He suggested a caricature; but one,
let it be added, of a person undeniably well-bred.

"My darling, you are very late," Katherine said. Her back was towards
her guests as she stooped down arranging the embroidered rug across
Dickie's feet and legs. Laying his hand on her wrist he squeezed it
closely for a moment.

"I--I'll tell you all about that presently, mummy, when they're gone.
I've been enjoying myself awfully--you won't mind?"

Katherine smiled. But, looking up at her, it appeared to Richard that
her face was very white, her eyes very large and dark, and that she was
very tall and, somehow, very splendid just then. And this fed his
fearlessness, fed his young pride, even as, though in a more subtle and
exquisite manner, his late experience of the racing-stable had fed
them. His mother moved away and took up her interrupted conversation
with Mr. Cathcart regarding the delinquencies of Lord Fallowfeild.
Richard looked coolly round the room.

Every one was there--Julius, Mary, Mademoiselle de Mirancourt, while
away in the oriel-window Roger Ormiston stood talking to a pretty,
plump, very much dressed lady, who chattered, laughed, stared, with
surprising vivacity. As Dickie looked at her she stared back at him
through a pair of gold eye-glasses. Against her knee, that rosy light
bathing her graceful, little figure, leant a girl about Dickie's own
age. She wore a pale pink and blue frock, short and outstanding in the
skirts. She also wore a broad-brimmed, white hat, with, a garland of
blush-roses around the crown of it. The little girl did not stare. She
contemplated Richard languidly, yet with sustained attention. Her
attitude and bearing were attractive. Richard wanted to see her close,
to talk to her. But to call and ask her to come to him was awkward. And
to go to her--the boy grew a little hot again--was more awkward still.

Mrs. Ormiston dropped her gold eye-glasses into her lap.

"It really is ten thousand pities when these things happen in the wrong
rank of life," she said. "Rightly placed they might be so profitable."

"For goodness sake, be careful, Ella," Ormiston put in quickly.

"Oh! My dear creature, don't be nervous. Everybody's attending to
everybody else, and if they did hear they wouldn't understand. I'm one
of the fortunate persons who are supposed never to talk sense and so I
can say what I like." Mrs. Ormiston gave her shrill little laugh. "