and seats and music and
refreshments; the last two not necessarily together. On this
pleasure ground opened the windows of the drawing room and to
this led the steps of the piazza; and so it came to pass in
the course of the evening that the house was pretty well
deserted of all but the elderly part of the guests.

In this state of things, said elderly portion of the company
might as well be at home for all the care they are able to
bestow on the younger. Wandering in shadow and light, in and
out through the winding walks, blending in groups and
scattered in couples, the young friends of Mrs. Powder did
pretty much as they pleased. But one thing Wych Hazel had
cause to suspect as the evening wore on, that though her
guardian proper was fast at-home, she had an active actual
guardian much nearer to her, and in fact never very far off
for long at a time. Indeed he paraded no attentions, either
before Wych Hazel's eyes or the eyes of the public; but if she
wanted anything, Rollo found it out; if she needed anything,
he was at hand to give it. His care did not burden her, nor
make itself at all conspicuous to other people; nevertheless
she surely could not but be conscious of it. This by the way.

Dr. Maryland had not been gone long; the new arrivals were
just pouring in; when a seat beside Wych Hazel was taken by
Mr. Nightingale.

'You were at Merricksdale the other night?' he said after the
first compliments.

'Yes, for a while.'

'I knew you would be. I was in despair that I could not get
there;--but engagements--contretemps--held us fast. I see now how
much I lost.'

'Then you are released from imaginary evils,--that must be a
comfort.'

'Do you know,' said Stuart, 'I think the toilet is a fine
art?'

She did not answer, looking at two or three somewhat
remarkable specimens of the art that just then swept by.

'Who is Miss Fisher, Mr. Nightingale?' she asked suddenly.

'O don't you know Kitty? To be sure, she has just come.'

'No, I do not know her. May I know who she is?'

'Not to know her, argues--Well, it isn't so extreme a case as
that. Miss Fisher, for character, is the most amiable of
persons; for accomplishments, she can do everything; for
connections, (do you always want to know people's
connections?) she is a niece, I believe, of Dr. Maryland's.'

'Of Dr. Maryland's!--O that is good,' said Wych Hazel. 'Is she
like Primrose?'

'She is more--like--a purple snap dragon,' said Stuart,
refle