orphaned youth, warmed towards her, and seeing plainly enough-as who indeed could not?-the faults and foibles of the girl, yet loved her tenderly.

Rather a one-sided affection, it is to be feared, although perhaps Miss Arbuthnot would be astonished if she knew on which side the balance lay, for it is so difficult to get always quite to the root even of our own thoughts and acts. And for various reasons Cicely Arbuthnot found the quiet drawing-room in Anne Square a pleasant change from her own home, with its little disagreeables, its little worries; the children always requiring to be scolded or amused; and, more trying still, a younger sister pushing her way upward with a strong determination to share the throne which her elder had hitherto occupied alone. Therefore, on the whole, it was a pleasant variety in her cheerful young life to have made friends with old Miss Mainwaring, who, having long ceased to be young herself, and having of course little of her own wherein to interest herself, had always plenty of time to sympathise with her girl friend. And to the girl friend it was pleasant to feel she was a welcome guest whenever she chose to go and spend an hour in Anne Square,-an hour in which she reigned supreme, in which she could hold forth uninterruptedly on whatever question of the moment was most disturbing her-an hour in which she could blow her brazen trumpet loudly and boldly, with no fear of the sound being caught up and repeated in the shrill discordant din of a younger sister's penny whistle; or yet more dis

astrous still, of being drowned in the grander, more sonorous cries of some one else's war-notes. No, there was no fear of this.

Miss Mainwaring had nothing to tell of herself. She was always a willing listener; and herein, I think, lay her principal charm for Cicely. Am I drawing her somewhat harshly? I hope not. For in truth her faults were, after all, chiefly the faults of youth.

She had been admired and loved all her life

long, and with just cause. For she is indeed very pretty. Brown hair with red gleams in it, brown. eyes, a slight figure, and pretty hands which she had a trick of moving about in a graceful, un-English fashion: what more could any man, or woman either, require ?

And to all this let us add an aptitude for doing everything in a slight, cursory way; and was there any wonder that she deluded herself, and mistook her smattering of accomplishments for talentgenius even-and her quick answers for wit, and was in consequence often more pleased with herself than there was any cause to warrant? But after all, as I said before, conceit is a youthful failing which often passes away under the influence of the sterner, harder trials of after-life.

Therefore let us cease to think of her failings for the present, and be satisfied instead with the pretty young face and figure.

"Where have you been this afternoon that you are so smartly dressed?" asked Delicia, looking admiringly at the delicately tinted face lifted to hers.

"I have been forming part of an audience at a musical afternoon at Lady Neville's, which I very soon grew tired of."

"Was it dull ?"

"Mr Rayton was not there."

"I suppose I am to take that as an answer to my question?" and Delicia smiled a little amused smile.

"It may have had something to do with it; but anyhow it was dull, and I was bored, and rather cross and in addition to everything else, I felt certain that when I got home I should find Jessie in a long dress seated in the drawing-room hoping for visitors; and the very idea of it so aggravated me that I determined to come here and have a cup of tea to calm my nerves before going on."

tea.

A little pause, in which Delicia poured out the

That accomplished, Cicely spoke again.

"It is too bad. I was not allowed to wear a long dress, much less receive visitors, until I was seventeen; and Jessie was only sixteen last March! But it is all Miss Heaton's doing.

Jessie, and she always hated me;

She is fond of and now that

they dine late, I never seem to see papa alone; and the end of it will be that he will like her the best of the two, and I shall be miserable."

"My dear, what a long speech! If you talk like that I shall soon grow quite fond of Jessie, and begin to believe she is rather an ill-used person." Well, if you do, Delicia, after the way you have always treated me as your friend, I shall never come

6.

to see you any more. I should think you both mean and treacherous; and as to laughing at what I tell you, which I am sure you are doing, I cannot think it is a laughing matter. I should hate to hear of any one being so spoilt; but naturally when it is my own sister it is twenty times worse."

There were tears in the girl's eyes as she turned to Delicia-real tears, brought there, no doubt, by jealousy and temper and a variety of other foolish reasons, but real tears for all that; and Delicia, seeing them there, by dint of forcing herself to remember that the pin - pricks of youth hurt as much at the moment as the sword- cuts of more mature age, abstained from remarking, as she felt inclined to do-she having small sympathy with imaginary troubles-that a time would probably arrive when the precocity, the forwardness of a younger sister, would not hold a great place amongst the trials of life.

So she adroitly turned the conversation away from the subject of home difficulties, and soon the tears gave place to smiles and laughter.

"A quarter to six!" at length cried Miss Arbuthnot. "Please, Delicia, will you ask Grey to call me a cab? I must go home now, though I am sorry," she added with a sigh, and walking to the window as she spoke-"very sorry." And even after Miss Mainwaring had rung the bell and given the order to the servant, she still stood looking out into the foggy Square, as if loath to go away.

"By the by, Delicia, do you see much of your opposite neighbours?"

"Yes, a good deal."

"What does the family consist of?"

"Two grown-up daughters, a son, and I do not know how many small children."

"Do you like them?"

'Very much. They are pleasant and very original. If you come over some afternoon, I will ask the girls to meet you."

No, please don't, dear Delicia. I do not like girls-they do not like me. Ask Jessie; she would be delighted to come," she said, a little spitefully. "But what is the son like?" she added. "Do you see much of him? I have heard he is clever. Is he good-looking?"

"Yes, I think he is. Better still, he is very agreeable. I am sure you would like him, so I will ask him to meet you instead of the girls, if you would like that better."

"Yes, I am sure I should. Good-looking, and agreeable, and an artist-I am sure to like him."

"Till Mr Rayton comes back to town?"

"Yes, just so; till Mr Rayton comes back. But tell me before I go, when should I be most likely to see this Adonis, for I would much rather meet him promiscuously than have him asked on purpose to 'play with me.""

"He often comes in about five o'clock for a cup of tea; indeed I rather wonder he was not here to-night, for I did not see him yesterday."

Miss Arbuthnot did not note the blush that accompanied the words-words significant enough in themselves, surely, to any one but a girl wrapped up