of crochet, the kind of fancy-work which occupied the
young ladies in the "sixties." The rector and Mr. Errington were in deep
conversation on the hearth-rug, and Mrs. Ormonde was reading the paper.

"So you have been visiting the nursery?" said the Colonel, rising and
offering Katherine a chair. "Your first introduction to our young man, I
suppose?"

"Yes. What a great boy he is!--the picture of health!"

"Ay, he is a Trojan," complacently. "The other little fellows are
looking well, eh?"

"Very well indeed. Cis is wonderfully grown; but Charlie is much what he
was."

"He'll overtake his brother, though, before long," said Colonel Ormonde,
encouragingly, as he rang and ordered the card-table to be set.

"You play whist, I suppose? We want a fourth."

"I am quite ignorant of that fascinating game," returned Katherine, "and
very sorry to be so useless."

"It _is_ lamentable ignorance! Lady Alice, will you take compassion on
us? No?--then we _must_ have Errington."

Errington did not seem at all reluctant, and the two young ladies were
left to entertain each other.

Katherine, who had gone to the other end of the room to look at some
water-color drawings, came back and sat down beside her. Lady Alice
looked amiable, but did not speak, and Katherine felt greatly at a loss
what to say.

"What very fine work!" she said at length, watching the small,
weak-looking hands so steadily employed.

"Yes, it is a very difficult pattern. My aunt, Lady Mary, never could
manage it, and she does a great deal of crochet, and is very clever."

"It seems most complicated. I am sure I could never do it."

"Do you crochet much?"

"Not at all."

"Then," with some appearance of interest, "what _do_ you do?"

"Oh! various things; but I am afraid I am not industrious. I would
rather mend my clothes than do fancy work."

"Mend your clothes!" repeated Lady Alice, in unfeigned amazement.

"Yes. I assure you there is great pleasure in a symmetrical patch."

"But does not your maid do that?"

"Now that I have one, she does. However, you must show me how to
crochet, if you will be so kind; my only approach to fancy-work is
knitting. I can knit stockings. Isn't that an achievement?"

"But is it not tiresome?"

"Oh! I can knit like the Germans, and talk or read."

"Is it possible?" A long pause.

"Mrs. Ormonde says you are very learned and studious," said Lady Alice,
languidly.

"How cruel of her to malign me!" returned