ng
men round about her; revolting against himself for the very humility of
his obedience, and angry at the eagerness and delight with which he had
come at her call.

"The meaning is, Ethel"--he broke out, seizing the opportunity--"that
when a man comes a thousand miles to see you, and shake your hand, you
should give it him a little more cordially than you choose to do to me;
that when a kinsman knocks at your door, time after time, you should try
and admit him; and that when you meet him you should treat him like an
old friend not as you treated me when my Lady Kew vouchsafed to give me
admittance; not as you treat these fools that are fribbling round about
you," cries Mr. Clive, in a great rage, folding his arms, and glaring
round on a number of the most innocent young swells; and he continued
looking as if he would like to knock a dozen of their heads together.
"Am I keeping Miss Newcome's admirers from her?"

"That is not for me to say," she said, quite gently. He was; but to see
him angry did not displease Miss Newcome.

"That young man who came for you just now," Clive went on--"that Sir
John----"

"Are you angry with me because I sent him away?" said Ethel, putting out
a hand. "Hark! there is the music. Take me in and waltz with me. Don't
you know it is not my door at which you knocked?" she said, looking
up into his face as simply and kindly as of old. She whirled round the
dancing-room with him in triumph, the other beauties dwindling before
her: she looked more and more beautiful with each rapid move of the
waltz, her colour heightening and her eyes seeming to brighten. Not
till the music stopped did she sink down on a seat, panting, and smiling
radiant--as many many hundred years ago I remember to have seen Taglioni
after a conquering pas seul. She nodded a "thank you" to Clive. It
seemed that there was a perfect reconciliation. Lady Kew came in just at
the end of the dance, scowling when she beheld Ethel's partner; but in
reply to her remonstrances, Ethel shrugged her fair shoulders, with a
look which seemed to say je le veux, gave an arm to her grandmother, an
walked off, saucily protecting her.

Clive's friend had been looking on observingly and curiously as the
scene between them had taken place, and at the dance with which the
reconciliation had been celebrated. I must tell you that this arch young
creature had formed the object of my observation for some months past,
and that I watched her as I ha