youth on the one hand, and acknowledged by a young lady
on the other, is described as an intrigue. But I still fail to see,"
she pursued haughtily, "why you should have come to spread this
scandal here in my house."

"Oh," the little woman faltered, "I was to ask if there had been
any--any presents. But," she added hastily, to save herself from the
wrath which she saw gathering on Mrs. Caldwell's face, "I am sure
there were not. I'm sure you would never bring a breach of promise
case--I'm sure it has all been a dreadful mistake. If Mr. Richardson
wants anything of this kind done in future, he must do it himself. I
apologise."

She uttered the last word with a gasp.

"Let me show you out," said Beth, and the discomforted lady found
herself ushered into the street without further ceremony.

When Beth returned she found her mother smiling blandly at the result
of her diplomacy. It was probably the first effort of the kind the
poor lady had ever made, and she was so elated by her success that she
took Beth into her confidence, and forgave her outright in order to
hob-nob with her on the subject.

"I think I fenced with her pretty well," she said several times. "A
woman of her class, a country attorney's daughter or something of that
kind, is no match for a woman of mine. I hope, Beth, this will be a
lesson to you, and will teach you to appreciate the superior tact and
discretion of the upper classes."

Beth could not find it in her heart to say a word to check her
mother's jubilation; besides, she had played up to her, answering to
expectation, as she was apt to do, with fatal versatility. But she did
not feel that they had come out of the business well. It was as if
their honesty had been bedraggled somehow, and she could not respect
her mother for her triumph; on the contrary, she pitied her. That kind
of diplomacy or tact, the means by which people who have had every
advantage impose upon those who have had no advantages to speak of,
did not appeal to Beth as pleasant, even at fourteen.

Mrs. Caldwell put her work away at once, and hurried off to describe
the encounter to Lady Benyon.

"They had not heard of the menagerie affair, I suppose," the old lady
observed, twinkling. "Thanks to yourself, I think you may consider
Miss Beth is well out of _that_ scrape. But take my advice. Get that
girl married the first chance you have. _I_ know girls, and she's one
of the marrying kind. Once she's married, let her muti