I don't want to lose Miss Liddell
before the time agreed for."

"No doubt she is a profitable--"

"It is no question of profit," interrupted Miss Payne, grimly. "Whether
she goes or whether she stays she is bound to me financially for twelve
months. But I am interested in Katherine, and it will be far better for
her to stay on here and feel her way before she launches into the whirl
of what they call society. I want to save her for a while from the wild
rush of dressing, driving, dining, dancing, that has swept away all my
girls sooner or later. Look here: the mothers are flocking round her
already." She began to take the cards out of the dish and read the
names: "Lady Mary Vincent, 23 Waldegrave Crescent; she is a sister of
that Lord Melford who ran such a rig years ago. _Her_ boys are still at
Eton. I suppose she comes because her niece and Miss Liddell have struck
up a friendship at Castleford. Then here are Mrs. and Miss Alford; we
all knew them in Rome; there's a son _there_; they are respectable
people, well off, and fighting their way up judiciously enough. Lady
Barrington; _she_ has a nephew, but she will be useful. Mr. and Mrs.
Tracey; they were at Florence, and have a couple of daughters; there may
be a nephew or a cousin, but I never heard of one; they are pleasant,
sensible, artistic people, who just enjoy themselves and don't trouble.
Lady Mildred Reptan, Miss Brereton, John de Burgh; I don't know these.
All these people evidently think she is in town, or have only just come
themselves, but you see the outlook."

"John de Burgh," repeated Bertie, thoughtfully. "I remember something
about him; nothing particularly good. I believe he is on the turf. Yes,
he is a famous steeple-chase rider, and rather fast--not too desirable a
follower for Miss Liddell."

"She met him at Castleford, and I rather think he is related to Colonel
Ormonde." Miss Payne put back the cards in the dish as she spoke, and
remained silent for some instants.

"You will be glad when Miss Liddell returns," said Bertie.

"So will you," she returned, tartly. "But I hope you won't dip into her
purse so freely as you used for your reformed drunkards and ragged
orphans. It was _too_ bad."

"Miss Liddell never waits to be asked. She seems on the lookout for
cases on which to bestow money. As she has plenty, why should I hesitate
to accept it?"

Miss Payne slowly rubbed her nose with the handle of a small hook she
used for pulling out th