have commenced. I don't think Arthur will object to our living much
more quietly than we have done of late. And if he does, we must try and
reconcile him to the change."

It was not difficult to reconcile Arthur to the change. "Graeme must do
as she thought right," he said. "It must be rather a troublesome thing
to keep up such a general acquaintance--a loss of time to little
purpose," and so it would have ended, as far as he was concerned, if
Harry had not discovered Mrs Roxbury's note.

"I declare Mrs Gridley is right," said he. "We are a rising family. I
hope you gave that lady a chance to peep into this note, when she was
here to-day. But how is this? Miss Elliott. Have you one, Rosie?"

Rose shook her head.

"No. Have you, Harry?"

"Have I? What are you thinking of, Rose? Do you suppose those lofty
portals would give admission to one who is only a humble clerk? It is
only for such commercial successes as Mr Green, or Allan Ruthven, that
that honour is reserved. But never mind, Rosie. We shall find
something to amuse us that night, I have no doubt."

"Graeme is not going," said Rose.

"Not going! Oh! she'll think better of it."

"No, she has sent her refusal."

"And why, pray?"

"Oh! one can't go everywhere, as Mrs Gridley says," replied Graeme,
thus appealed to.

"Yes; but Mrs Gridley said that with regard to a gathering of our good
friend, Willie Birnie, the tailor. I can understand how she should not
find time to go there. But how you should find time to shine on that
occasion, and have none to spare for Mrs Roxbury's select affair, is
more than I can comprehend."

"Don't be snobbish, Harry," said Will.

"I think the reasons are obvious," said Arthur.

"Yes," said Graeme, "we knew Willie Birnie when we were children. He
was at the school with you all. And I like his new wife very much, and
our going gave them pleasure, and, besides, I enjoyed it well."

"Oh! if you are going to take a sentimental view of the matter, I have
nothing to say. And Willie is a fine fellow; I don't object to Willie,
or the new wife either--quite the contrary. But of the two, people
generally would prefer to cultivate the acquaintance of Mrs Roxbury and
her set."

"Graeme is not like people generally," said Rose.

"I hope not," said Will. "And, Harry, what do you suppose Mrs Roxbury
cares about any of us, after all?"

"She cares about Graeme going to her party, or she would not have asked