inner, and so appear at afternoon tea,
which by no means suited Mrs. F. Liddell's views.

The Colonel had given so very highly colored a description of the young
lady who was with the little boy so nearly run over on the previous
morning that the pretty widow's jealousy was aroused.

In spite of her flightiness and love of pleasure she had a very keen
sense of her own interest, and perceiving Colonel Ormonde's decided
appreciation, she had made up her mind to marry him.

This, she felt, would be more easily designed than accomplished. Colonel
Ormonde was an old soldier in every sense, and an old bachelor to boot,
with an epicurean taste for good dinners and pretty women. He might
sacrifice something for the first, but the latter were too plentiful and
too come-at-able to be worth great cost. Still, it was generally
believed he was matrimonially inclined, and Mrs. Fred thought she might
have as good a chance as any one else, had she not been hampered with
her two boys.

It would be too dreadful if Ormonde's fancy were caught by Katherine's
bold eyes and big figure. So Mrs. Fred wished that her sister-in-law
might not put in an appearance.

"She is not a bit like other girls," thought the little woman, as she
finally shook the duster out of the open window and set herself to
distribute the flowers she had bought the previous evening to the best
advantage. "She has no dear friends, no acquaintances with whom she
likes to stop and chatter; she never stays out, and I don't think she
ever had the ghost of a lover. When _I_ was her age I had had a dozen,
and I was married. Poor Fred! Heigho! I wish he had left me a little
money, and I am sure I should never dream of giving him a successor. But
for the sake of the dear boys I should never think of marrying! How
cruel it is to be so poor, and to be with such unenterprising people! If
Mrs. Liddell would only venture to make an appearance, and just risk a
little, she might dispose of Kate and of me too. There _are_ men who
might admire Kate, and there they go on screwing and scribbling. I wish
my mother-in-law would write for some big magazine--_Blackwood_ or
_Temple Bar_--or not write at all! That will do, I think. That is the
only strong arm-chair in the house; it will stand nicely beside the
sofa. Oh, have you come in already, children?"--as the two boys peeped
in. "Couldn't Jane have kept you out a little longer! Don't attempt to
come in here!"

"Jane had to come back t