because she would not say that she admired
him. He was greatly displeased at
a careless laugh of the young lady's at his
enormous stock of costly trifles, every one
of which was lavishly crested and
coroneted. Mary Leader looked on with
unconcealed scorn at this display of childishness.
"I wonder you care about such
things," she said. He was quite in a huff,
and left her angrily to show his crests and
coronets to Katey. Of this exhibition he
presently grew tired, for this young
gentleman was very fitful in his humours, was
puzzled to know what to be at, and was
accustomed to be flattered by a host of
questionable dependents who hung about
him. Katey, amiable and eager to please,
affected an interest and curiosity, and
listened to the various histories which
accompanied the exhibition of these trifles—
how he had got this article, how there was
not another stone to match this one in
England; it had been given to him as a
special favour. In a dreamy sort of way
Katey listened, scarcely understanding;
about her all these strange faces, that
handsome room and its gaudy furniture,
which yet seemed bleak and chilling, and
as a prison and its whitewashed walls.
She seemed to herself in exile, among
enemies, and she had wretched forebodings
of heavy trials and miseries in store for
her, which she could never hope to "by
opposing end." Suddenly she was
disturbed by the sharp voice of Mrs. Leader
speaking to her, who crossed over to her
hurriedly. "Don't you hear Lady Seaman
speaking to you?"

"I am amused," said that lady, "at
Mrs. Cecil Leader's interest in Seaman's
finery. Come away, my dear boy; you are
only teasing her. I'm sure she hasn't heard
a single word you have said for the last five
minutes."

Katey coloured at this speech, which she
knew was offensively intended. She knew,
also, that the charge was true, and for a
moment could not answer. She saw the faces
about her full of enjoyment at the "hit"
that had been given her. This moved her,
and she answered coldly:

"I am not being teased at all, as Lord
Seaman will testify."

"Yes, you're in the wrong box, mother,"
said the young man. "It was Miss Mary
Leader that didn't care. I don't think
she'd know a bit of gold from pewter."

"My dear boy, you'll make people laugh
at you with your finery. Mrs. Cecil
Leader will be amusing her father and
family to-morrow with a funny sketch of
you. She is said to be very satirical, I
can tell you."

"Why should you say that?" said Katey,
gravely. "I am sure you can never have
heard it reported of me."

Lady Seaman gave a look at Mrs. Leader
and drew up. So did her daughters. It
was as who should say "this is giving me
the lie." Horror-stricken, Mrs. Leader said,
"Oh, she did not mean— I know she did
not, dear Lady Seaman."

"Oh, nothing," said that lady, placidly.
"When shall you be next in town, my
dear?"

"I appeal to any one here, if such has
been my character. It is the last thing
even an enemy would say of me. Any one
who knows me——"

Mrs. Leader struck in venomously: "Yes,
but you see those persons are all absent—
your own friends. But really you should
not be so very downright to Lady Seaman."

Mary Leader here came forward quietly.

"This is almost funny," she said. "One
would think poor Katey had committed
some crime, we are looking so seriously at
her. She is quite right, for she has not a
particle of satire in her whole composition.
I know it perfectly well, and think it would
be an advantage to her if she had."

"Pray don't let us talk any more about
it," said the guest, angrily."My dear,"
she added, abruptly, "I declare if I was
you, I would be jealous; see how Jessie has
been captivated by your husband."

Mrs. Leader did look with some
uneasiness, and saw the homely little man,
a thick octavo in his hand, out of which
he was reading, Jessie sitting at his feet
on a little chair, which only an extreme
courtesy could save from being called a
stool. Delight was in Mr. Leader's face;
he was showing her the report of the most
curious trial, the whole curiosity of which
consisted in the fact of his having been
present (and this personal sharing, by the way,
very often constitutes the entire test of
remote excellence). He had grown quite
enthusiastic, and through the force of his
delight had become quite changed, had lost
his hesitating shyness.

The whole party were vastly amused at
this little exhibition, and the ladies smiled
significantly at each other. Jessie had quite
a reputation for turning the heads of
the elderly married men, and openly
protested that she thought they were the only
persons worth wasting her time upon.