ect was unexpectedly renewed at dinner.

"'Mary,' said my father, 'is there any mystery connected with this
tea-party at Miss Brooke's?'

"Fatima gave me a mischievous glance.

"'If there is, sir,' said I, 'I am not in the secret.'

"'I met them in the town,' he went on, 'and they were good enough to
invite me; and as I must see Ward about some registers, I ventured to
ask if he were to be of the party (thinking to save my old legs a walk
to his place). The matter was simple enough, but Miss Martha seemed to
fancy that I wanted to know who was going to be there. I fully
explained my real object, but either she did not hear or she did not
believe me, I suppose, for she gave me a list of the expected
company.'

"'I am sure she would have believed you, sir, if she had realized what
you were saying,' I said. 'I know the sort of thing, but I think that
they are generally so absorbed in their own efforts to do what they
think you want, they have no spare attention for what you say.'

"'A very ingenious bit of special pleading, my dear, but you have not
heard all. I had made my best bow and was just turning away, when
Miss Martha, begging me to excuse her, asked with a good deal of
mystery and agitation if _you_ had commissioned me to find out who was
to be at the party. I said I had not seen you since breakfast, but
that I was quite able to assure her that if you had wished to find out
anything on the subject, you would have gone direct to herself, with
which I repeated my best bow in my best style, and escaped.'

"I was too much hurt to speak, and Fatima took up the conversation
with my father.

"'You will go, sir?' she said.

"'Of course, my dear, if Mary wishes it. Besides, Ward _is_ to be
there. I learnt so much.'

"'You learnt more, sir,' said Fatima, 'and please don't leave us to
die of curiosity. Who is to be there, after all?'

"'The Wilkinsons, and Miss Jones and her sister, and Ward, and an old
friend of Miss Brooke's, a merchant.'

"'But his name, please!' cried Fatima, for my father was retreating to
his study.

"'Smith--John Smith,' he answered laughing, and we were left alone.

"I was very much disposed to be injured and gloomy, but Fatima would
not allow it. She was a very successful comforter. In the first place,
she was thoroughly sympathetic; and in the second, she had a great
dislike to any disturbance of the general peace and harmony, and at
last, her own easy, cheerful view of things bec