my favorite 'ero of fiction, the Dook of Mauleverer-Wolverhampton, I
feel that I'm doing the next best thing when I'm receiving the orders of
her ladyship."

Another of cook's ideas was that Miss Tredgold was a person of title, who
chose for the present to disguise the fact. She certainly had a
marvellous power over the erratic Betty, and was turning her into a
first-rate cook.

"Are you going to give us some of that exquisite music to-night, Sophia?"
asked Mr. Dale when he had finished his dinner. He looked languidly at
his sister-in-law.

"On one condition I will," she said. "The condition is this: you are to
accompany my piano on the violin."

Mr. Dale's face became pale. He did not speak for a minute; then he rose
and went nimbly on tiptoe out of the room.

There was silence for a short time. The girls and their aunt had migrated
into the drawing-room. The drawing-room looked sweetly pretty with its
open windows, its softly shaded lamps, its piano wide open, and the
graceful figures of the girls flitting about. Even Pauline's ugly blouse
was forgotten. There was a sense of mystery in the air. Presently in the
distance came the sound of a fiddle. It was the sound of a fiddle being
tuned. The notes were discordant; but soon rich, sweeping melodies were
heard. They came nearer and nearer, and Mr. Dale, still playing his
fiddle, entered the room. He entered with a sort of dancing measure,
playing an old minuet as he did so.

Miss Tredgold stepped straight to the piano and without any music, played
an accompaniment.

"I have won," she thought. "I shall send him away for change of air; then
the study must be cleaned. I shall be able to breathe then."

CHAPTER XIII.

NANCY SHOWS HER HAND.

It was not until after breakfast on the following morning that Miss
Tredgold said anything to Pauline about the ugly shirt she had chosen to
wear on the previous evening.

"My dear," she said then, very gently, "I did not remark on your dress
last night; but for the future remember that when I say a thing is to be
done, it is to be done. I had a pretty, suitable blouse put into your
room for you to appear in last night. Why did you wear that ugly torn
shirt?"

"I couldn't help myself," said Pauline.

"That is no reason."

Pauline was silent. She looked on the ground. Miss Tredgold also was
silent for a minute; then she said decisively:

"You will wear the new blouse to-night. Remember, I expect to be obeyed.