s Falbe."

Lady Ashbridge was pathetically eager to be what she called "good."
Michael had made it clear to her that it was his wish that Miss Falbe
should not be embarrassed, and any wish just now expressed by Michael
was of the nature of a divine command to her.

"Well, this is a pleasure," she said, looking across to Michael with the
eyes of a dog on a beloved master. "And we are not strangers quite, are
we, Miss Falbe? We sat so near each other to listen to your brother, who
I am sure plays beautifully, and the music which Michael made. Haven't I
got a clever son, and such a good one?"

Sylvia was unerring. Michael had known she would be.

"Indeed, you have," she said, sitting down by her. "And Michael mustn't
hear what we say about him, must he, or he'll be getting conceited."

Lady Ashbridge laughed.

"And that would never do, would it?" she said, still retaining Sylvia's
hand. Then a little dim ripple of compunction broke in her mind.
"Michael," she said, "we are only joking about your getting conceited.
Miss Falbe and I are only joking. And--and won't you take off your hat,
Miss Falbe, for you are not going to hurry away, are you? You are going
to pay us a long visit."

Michael had not time to remind his mother that ladies who come to tea
do not usually take their hats off, for on the word Sylvia's hands were
busy with her hatpins.

"I'm so glad you suggested that," she said. "I always want to take my
hat off. I don't know who invented hats, but I wish he hadn't."

Lady Ashbridge looked at her masses of bright hair, and could not help
telegraphing a note of admiration, as it were, to Michael.

"Now, that's more comfortable," she said. "You look as if you weren't
going away next minute. When I like to see people, I hate their going
away. I'm afraid sometimes that Michael will go away, but he tells me he
won't. And you liked Michael's music, Miss Falbe? Was it not clever of
him to think of all that out of one simple little tune? And he tells me
you sing so nicely. Perhaps you would sing to us when we've had tea. Oh,
and here is my sister-in-law. Do you know her--Lady Barbara? My dear,
what is your husband's name?"

Seeing Sylvia uncovered, Lady Barbara, with a tact that was creditable
to her, but strangely unsuccessful, also began taking off her hat. Her
sister-in-law was too polite to interfere, but, as a matter of fact, she
did not take much pleasure in the notion that Barbara was going to stay
a ve