much policy to throw oil on the troubled waters.

'I do not know why you should say that. It ought not to be a matter of
indifference what people think of us.'

'Ought it not? Would you like to know my opinion of you after nearly
a month of acquaintance? Let me warn you, I have entirely changed my
opinion since our stormy interview in Cunliffe's study.'

I do not know what there was in Mr. Hamilton's look and manner that made
me say hastily,--

'Oh no, I would rather not know, and I hope you will not tell me. I am
quite sure you do not misconstrue my motives now.'

'You may be quite sure of that,' rather grimly, as though my last speech
displeased him. 'It is difficult not to think you older than you are, you
are so terribly sensible and matter-of-fact. How can Gladys get on with
you, I wonder? Do you put a moral extinguisher on all her romance?'

'I am not quite so matter-of-fact as you make out, Mr. Hamilton.'

He shot an odd sort of glance at me. 'When you sing, one can believe
that; there is nothing prosaic in a nestful of larks. Poor Phoebe, I do
believe you are doing her good: she looks far more human already. By the
bye, when are you coming to sing to us again? I told Etta that I was
engaged on Thursday, and she declared it was our only free day until
Christmas.'

'I shall be too busy to come till after then,' I replied quietly, for I
did not wish him to think that I was ready to jump at any invitation to
Gladwyn. He seemed rather disconcerted at my coldness.

'Why, it is more than ten days to Christmas! I hope you do not mean to
be stiff and unneighbourly, Miss Garston. I am afraid,' with a decidedly
quizzical look, 'that pride is a serious defect of yours.'

'Perhaps so; but, you see, I do not wish to be different from my
neighbours,' I replied quietly; but my speech was received by Mr.
Hamilton with a hearty laugh.

'Oh yes, you are right: we are a proud lot,' he observed, as he rose to
take leave. 'Well, Miss Garston, after Christmas is over, we shall hope
to see you for an evening; but any afternoon you are free they will be
glad to see you. Etta makes excellent tea. What a craze five-o'clock tea
is with you women! I have protested against it in vain: the girls are in
majority against me.' With this speech he took himself off. I was much
relieved at this peaceable ending to our interview. Now he was gone I
could scarcely believe that I had ventured on a joke with the formidable
Mr. Hamilton, a jo