dness with which she acted in all ordinary matters. In a bright
surface way she was clever and full of ideas--ideas which others took up
and fructified--from which Mrs. Needham herself derived no benefit
beyond the pleasure of imparting them. She was constantly taken in by
barefaced impostors, yet at times, and in an accidental way, hit on
wonderfully accurate estimates of persons whom the general public
credited with widely different qualities.

She had a nice little old-fashioned house in Kensington, with a pretty
garden, just large enough to allow of visitors being well wet in rainy
weather between the garden gate and the hall door. This diminutive
mansion was crammed with curios, specimens of china, of carved wood, of
Japanese lacquer--these much rarer than at present. It was a pleasant
abode withal; a kindly, generous, happy-go-lucky spirit pervaded it. Few
coming to seek help there were sent empty away, and the owner's earnest
consideration was ready for all who sought her advice. It was real joy
to her to entertain her friends in an easy, unceremonious way, and her
friends were equally pleased to accept her hospitality.

On the present occasion Mrs. Needham was deeply interested in her
expected guests. Katherine Liddell had pleased her from the first,
practical and unsentimental as she was. She was disposed to weave a
little romance round the bright sympathetic girl, who listened so
graciously to her schemes and projects, whose brightness had under it a
strain of tender sadness, which gave an indescribable subtle charm to
her manner. Miss Payne she had known more or less for a considerable
time, and regarded as a worthy, useful woman; while her third guest was
the only child of the wealthy publisher George Bradley, the owner of
that new and flourishing publication, _The Piccadilly Review_, wherein
those brilliant articles on "Our Colonial System," "Modern European
Politics," etc., supposed to be from the pen of Miles Errington,
appeared.

"A _partie carree_ of ladies does not seem to promise much," said Mrs.
Needham, when she had greeted Miss Payne and "her young friend," into
which position Katherine had sunk; "but unless I could have three or
four men it is better to have none; besides we want to talk of business,
and men under such circumstances always exclude us, so I don't see why
we should admit them. Miss Bradley--Miss Payne, Miss Liddell, of whom
you have heard me speak."

Miss Bradley rose from the s