stonished Mr. Troy--they were both silent. For once
in her life Lady Lydiard was considering what she should say, before she
said it. Miss Pink, on her side, naturally waited to hear what object
her Ladyship had in view--waited, until her small reserve of patience
gave way. Urged by irresistible curiosity, she spoke first.

"Have you anything to say to me in private?" she asked.

Lady Lydiard had not got to the end of her reflections. She said
"Yes!"--and she said no more.

"Is it anything relating to my niece?" persisted Miss Pink.

Still immersed in her reflections, Lady Lydiard suddenly rose to the
surface, and spoke her mind, as usual.

"About your niece, ma'am. The other day Mr. Hardyman called at my house,
and saw Isabel."

"Yes," said Miss Pink, politely attentive, but not in the least
interested, so far.

"That's not all ma'am. Mr. Hardyman admires Isabel; he owned it to me
himself in so many words."

Miss Pink listened, with a courteous inclination of her head. She looked
mildly gratified, nothing more. Lady Lydiard proceeded:

"You and I think differently on many matters," she said. "But we are
both agreed, I am sure, in feeling the sincerest interest in Isabel's
welfare. I beg to suggest to you, Miss Pink, that Mr. Hardyman, as a
near neighbor of yours, is a very undesirable neighbor while Isabel
remains in your house."

Saying those words, under a strong conviction of the serious importance
of the subject, Lady Lydiard insensibly recovered the manner and resumed
the language which befitted a lady of her rank. Miss Pink, noticing the
change, set it down to an expression of pride on the part of her visitor
which, in referring to Isabel, assailed indirectly the social position
of Isabel's aunt.

"I fail entirely to understand what your Ladyship means," she said
coldly.

Lady Lydiard, on her side, looked in undisguised amazement at Miss Pink.

"Haven't I told you already that Mr. Hardyman admires your niece?" she
asked.

"Naturally," said Miss Pink. "Isabel inherits her lamented mother's
personal advantages. If Mr. Hardyman admires her, Mr. Hardyman shows his
good taste."

Lady Lydiard's eyes opened wider and wider in wonder. "My good lady!"
she exclaimed, "is it possible you don't know that when a man admires
a women he doesn't stop there? He falls in love with her (as the saying
is) next."

"So I have heard," said Miss Pink.

"So you have _heard?_" repeated Lady Lydiard. "If Mr. Hardyman