insinuating youth has been
beforehand, of course there's no chance for me. Well, I am out of the
hunt,"--and he carelessly whistled a bar of "Not for Joseph" in reply to
a suggestive motion of his sister's towards Miss Kendal.

"I should think it so dull," said that young lady, tossing her head, "to
be engaged so long before. _I_ do not intend to decide till the day."

"What shall you keep all your admirers in suspense till the last moment?"
said Bertie, with a covert sneer, for he was angry at her slighting
behaviour to Bluebell. "What a scramble there will be!"

Miss Kendal was not altogether satisfied with the tone of the remark, so
she commenced tying on her cloud, observing sharply, "Well, mamma, we
shall be benighted if we stay any longer."

Bertie dutifully attended them to the sleigh, and won the elder lady's
heart by the skill with which he tucked round her the fur robes and the
parting grace of his bow.

She was about to purr out some commendation, when--"What a bear that man
is!" burst with startling vehemence from Miss Kendal's coral lips.

"Oh! my dear, what can you mean? I thought he seemed so agreeable."

"I as good as told him," muttered the ruffled fair, too angry to be
reticent, "that I had no one to drive me to-morrow; and I think it was
real rude asking that Bluebell Leigh before my face,--a mere nursery
governess--and not giving me so much as the chance of refusing him."

"But you said," urged Mrs. Kendal, who did not see beyond the proverbial
nasal tip, "that you would not decide on your sleigh till the day."

"I only know," said the daughter, with dark emphasis, "I wouldn't drive
with him now, if he went on his bended knees to ask me."

"Thank you, Bella," said Bertie, returning. "Nice little game you had cut
out for me! What an odious girl!"

Cecil's jealous instinct detected the root of this animosity, more
especially guided thereto by his attempt to secure Bluebell as a
companion, which had surprised her not too agreeably.

"What is her crime," said she, sarcastically, "beyond a rather
transparent design of driving with you Bertie?"

"She is hung with bangles like an Indian squaw, and has a Yankee twang in
her voice."

"She pretended to scarcely remember me," said Bluebell, "though we were
at school together."

"Jealous, I dare say," laughed Bertie. "Is she an admirer of Jack
Vavasour's?"

"Fancy any one admiring a boy like that!" said Bluebell, who did not feel
in charity wi