oner found it at an end than she lolled back
indifferently on the sofa, and, picking up a book, coolly read it for more
than an hour, though twice interrupted by Mrs. Richardson, who vainly
tried to substitute polite conversation the first time, and offered a cup
of tea the second.

"English breakfast?" asked Mrs. Sykes loftily, raising her eyes for a
moment. "No; I am afraid not. It is green tea, I think."

"But do take some," replied Mrs. Richardson, "It is very nice indeed."

"No, thank you," said Mrs. Sykes very shortly, her eyes on her book.

"Just one cup. Let me make it for you?" suggested Mrs. Richardson.

"Not for a five-pound note would I drink the poisonous stuff. Say no more
about it," replied Mrs. Sykes, with delicate consideration, and turned
over a page.

"Do take some coffee, then, or chocolate," insisted Mrs. Richardson.

"Nothing of any sort or kind whatever," snapped Mrs. Sykes, turning away
decidedly, to get a better light on her book, apparently, but really to
get rid of her hostess.

Mr. Ketchum, fearing to show indecent exultation when the carriages were
announced, repressed the satisfaction that would have expressed itself in
gay speeches of farewell. A decorous exit was made; and as they rolled
away he gave a great sigh of relief, and exclaimed, "I haven't had as much
fun since I had the measles. Mussiful Powers! what an evening! I feel like
the boy whose mother gave him a good beating for his own sake. But all the
same I shall have a word to say to Mrs. Sykes tomorrow; and of course I
shall have to apologize for her behavior to Richardson."

"Most insolent, unpardonable conduct, I call it," said Sir Robert. "She's
an innately vulgar woman."

"Puts on an awful lot of side. I can't stand her. She gives me the jumps.
And she can tell a buster, too, when she likes: I have found that out,"
put in Mr. Ramsay.

"Well, I don't exactly hanker to be cast away on a desert island with her,
even supposing I was one of the royal dukes and had taken the precaution
of being introduced while we were tying on the life preservers, in case of
accidents," said Mr. Ketchum.

What he said to Mrs. Sykes next morning no one ever knew but the discreet
Mabel. Not much, probably, but that little was so much to the point that
it had a decided effect,--two of them, indeed, one interior, the other
external. It increased her respect for him, and it made her perfectly
civil to all his friends, as far as constituti