he had enjoyed, and vouchsafed a patronising
interest in her prospects. It was gall and wormwood to feel sure that
Emily had laughed and made merry over a message addressed to a Briskett,
from a member of her own house!

Everyone has experienced the flatness which ensues when an expected
excitement is postponed at the last moment, leaving the hours to drag
along a slow, uneventful course. It was long since Miss Briskett had
felt so consciously lonely and depressed as at her solitary dinner that
evening. In the drawing-room, even Patience lost its wonted charm, and
she was thankful when the time arrived to sip her tumbler of hot water,
and retire to bed.

Next day it seemed somewhat flat to make the same preparations a second
time over, but as no contradictory message had been received, it did not
appear possible that a second disappointment could supervene. The tea-
table was set out with special care, and a supply of home-made cakes
placed on the three-storied brass stand. Once more Miss Briskett donned
her best gown, and sat gazing through the lace window curtains.

At last! A cab drove up to the gate; two cabs, laden with enough
luggage for a family journeying to the seaside. The door of the first
was thrown open and there jumped out--a _man_! a tall, alert young man
clad in a suit of light-checked tweed, who turned and gave his hand to a
girl in blue serge, carefully assisting her to alight. They sauntered
up the path together, laughing and chattering in leisurely enjoyment;
half-way to the house the girl turned round, and stood for a moment to
stare at the view, pointing, as she did so, in frank, unabashed fashion.
Then they approached the door, held hospitably open in Mason's hand.

"Why, Aunt Soph, is that you?" cried a high, clear voice, with a
pronounced American accent, which rang strangely in the unaccustomed
ears. "This is me, anyhow, and I'm real glad to see you. I've had a
lovely ride! This is Mr Eustace C Ross, who crossed with us in the
_Lucania_. He's brought me right here in case I got lost, or fell over
the edge. England's sweet! I've been all over London this morning, and
we did a theatre last night. ... Aunt Soph, you have a look of father
about the nose! Makes me feel kinder homesick to see your nose. I'm
going to kiss it right away?"

And kiss it she did, on its thin, chilly tip, with Mason sniggering with
delight in the background, and the strange young man chuckling in the