heel, he walks away.

With a little impulsive gesture Molly rises from the piano-stool, and,
without again looking at Philip, moves across the room to the seat she
had originally vacated. As she does so she passes close by Marcia, who,
ever since her cousin's voice first sounded in her ears, has been
sitting silent, now pale, now red.

She stays Molly by a slight movement of the hand, and says, coldly:

"I thought you told me you could neither sing nor understand French?"

"I don't think I could have said quite that," Molly replies, quietly;
"I told you I sang a little; it is not customary to laud one's own
performances."

"You are a clever actress," says Marcia, so low as to be unheard by all
but Molly: "with such a voice as yours, and such masterly command of
all emotion and expression, you should make the stage your home."

"Perhaps I shall find your hint useful in the future," says Molly, with
a slight shrug of her shoulders: "when one is poor it is always well to
know there is something one can put one's hand to when things come to
the worst; but at present I feel sufficiently at home where I am. I am
glad," calmly, "my singing pleased you,--if, indeed, it did."

"You sing magnificently," Marcia says, aloud, giving her meed of praise
justly, but unwillingly.

"And such a charming song as that is!" breaks in Mrs. Darley: "I
remember hearing it for the first time, just after my marriage; indeed,
while we were yet enjoying our wedding tour. Do you remember it,
dearest?" As she murmurs the tender words, she turns upon her lord two
azure eyes so limpid and full of trust and love that any man ignorant
of the truth would have sworn by all his gods her desire was with her
husband, whereas every inch of heart she possesses has long since been
handed over to a man in the Horse Guards Blue.

"Humph!" says Henry Darley, eloquently; and without further rejoinder
goes on with the game of chess he is playing with Mr. Amherst.

"Let us have something else, Eleanor," her grandfather says, looking up
for an instant from his beloved queens and kings and castles; "another
song."

This is such a wonderful request coming from Mr. Amherst, who is known
to abhor Marcia's attempts, that every one looks surprised.

"Willingly, grandpapa," says Molly, and, going once more to the piano,
gladly puts the obnoxious duet away, feeling sure its appearance has
caused Tedcastle's annoyance. "Though if he is going to be jealous so
earl