t till I'm
absent."

"There, Madge, you know I'm nine-tenths in fun," said he, laughing.

"That leaves a small margin for kindly interest in an old
acquaintance," was her reply as they rose from the table, and he saw
that her feelings were hurt.

"Confound it!" he thought, with irritation, "it's all so uncalled-for
and unnatural! Nothing is as it used to be. Well, then, I'll talk
about books and matters as impersonal as if we were disembodied
spirits."

They had scarcely seated themselves on the piazza before Miss Wildmere
came forward and introduced her mother. The young lady was determined
to prepare the way for a family party. Graydon had a confident,
opulent air, which led to the belief that her father's fears were
groundless, and that before many weeks should elapse the Muirs would
have to acknowledge her openly. It would save embarrassment if this
came about naturally and gradually, and she believed that she could be
so charming as to make them covet the alliance. Miss Alden might not
like it, and the more she disliked it the better.

Mrs. Muir's thoughts were somewhat akin. "If Graydon will marry this
girl, it's wise that we should begin on good terms. This is a matter
that Henry can't control, and there's no use in our yielding to
prejudice."

Therefore she was talkative, courteous, and rapidly softened toward
the people whom her husband found so distasteful. Graydon employed all
his skill and tact to make the conversation general and agreeable, but
the cloud did not wholly pass from Madge's brow. From the moment
of her first cold, curious stare, years since, Miss Wildmere had
antagonized every fibre of the young girl's soul and body, and she had
resolved never to be more than polite to her. She did not look forward
to future relationship, as was the case with Mrs. Muir, but rather
to entire separation, should Graydon become Miss Wildmere's accepted
suitor. Now, with the instinct of self-defence, she was more cordial
to her rival than to Graydon, until, at the solicitation of the
children, she stole away. Mr. Muir remarked that he was going to take
a nap, and soon followed her.

Their departure was a relief to Graydon, for it rendered the carrying
out of his plan less embarrassing. In his eagerness to be alone with
the object of his hopes, he soon obtained a carriage, and with Miss
Wildmere drove away. Mrs. Muir and Mrs. Wildmere compared maternal and
domestic notes sometime longer, and then the former