her conscience, consented to wear the
black-freckled dress.

"I never saw anybody look so altered in my life," said Mrs Mackenzie,
when Margaret, apparelled, appeared in the Cavendish Square
drawing-room on the morning in question. "Oh, dear, I hope Sir John
Ball will come to look at you."

"Nonsense! he won't be such a fool as to do anything of the kind."

"I took care to let him know that you would be there;" said Mrs
Mackenzie.

"You didn't?"

"But I did, my dear."

"Oh, dear, what will he think of me?" ejaculated Margaret; but
nevertheless I fancy that there must have been some elation in her
bosom when she regarded herself and the freckled muslin in the glass.

Both Mrs Mackenzie and Miss Mackenzie had more than once gone down
to the place to inspect the ground and make themselves familiar with
the position they were to take. There were great stalls and little
stalls, which came alternately; and the Mackenzie stall stood next
to a huge centre booth at which the duchess was to preside. On their
other hand was the stall of old Lady Ware, and opposite to them, as
has been before said, the doubtful Mrs Chaucer Munro was to hold
difficult sway over her bevy of loud nymphs. Together with Mrs
Mackenzie were two other Miss Mackenzies, sisters of her husband,
handsome, middle-aged women, with high cheek-bones and fine
brave-looking eyes. All the Mackenzies, except our Griselda, were
dressed in the tartan of their clan; and over the stall there was
some motto in Gaelic, "Dhu dhaith donald dhuth," which nobody could
understand, but which was not the less expressive. Indeed, the
Mackenzie stall was got up very well; but then was it not known and
understood that Mrs Mackenzie did get up things very well? It was
acknowledged on all sides that the Lamb, Griselda, was uncommonly
well got up on this occasion.

It was understood that the ladies were to be assembled in the bazaar
at half-past two, and that the doors were to be thrown open to the
public at three o'clock. Soon after half-past two Mrs Mackenzie's
carriage was at the door, and the other Mackenzies having come up at
the same time, the Mackenzie phalanx entered the building together.
There were many others with them, but as they walked up they found
the Countess of Ware standing alone in the centre of the building,
with her four daughters behind her. She had on her head a wonderful
tiara, which gave to her appearance a ferocity almost greater than
was natural