her chin on her hands, and
reflected.

'Where does he go, I wonder?'

'Oh, all sorts of places, no doubt. Men of that kind are always
travelling. I suppose he goes shooting and fishing--'

Nancy's laugh made an interruption.

'No, no, he doesn't! He told me once that he didn't care for that sort
of thing.'

'Oh, well, you know much more about him than I do,' said Miss Morgan,
with a smile.

'I've often meant to ask you--have they anything to do with Tarrant's
black-lead?'

Jessica declared that she had never heard of it.

'Never heard of it? nonsense! A few years ago it used to be posted up
everywhere, and I see it sometimes even now, but other kinds seem to
have driven it out of the market. Now that's just like you! Pray, did
you ever hear of Pears' Soap?'

'Of course.'

'Really? Oh, there's hope of you. You'll be a woman of the world some
day.'

'Don't tease, Nancy. And what would it matter if he _was_ there
to-morrow?'

'Oh! I don't know. But I shouldn't particularly like his lordship to
imagine that I went in the hope of paying my respects to him, and having
the reward of a gracious smile.'

'One can't always be thinking about what other people think,' said
Jessica impatiently. 'You're too sensitive. Any one else in your
position would have lots of such friends.'

'In my position! What _is_ my position?'

'Culture is everything now-a-days,' observed Miss. Morgan, with the air
of one who feels herself abundantly possessed of that qualification.

But Nancy laughed.

'You may depend upon it, Mr. Tarrant doesn't think so.'

'He calls himself a democrat.'

'And talks like one: doesn't he?'

'Oh! that's only his way, I think. He doesn't really mean to be haughty,
and--and so on.'

'I wish I knew if he had any connection with Tarrant's blacklead,' said
Miss. Lord mischievously.

'Why not ask him?'

They laughed merrily, Jessica's thin note contrasting with the mellow
timbre of her friend's voice.

'I will some day.'

'You would never dare to!'

'I daren't? Then I will!'

'It would be dreadfully rude.'

'I don't mind being thought rude,' replied Nancy, with a movement of the
head, 'if it teaches people that I consider myself as good as they are.'

'Well, will you come to-morrow?'

'Ye-es; if you'll go somewhere else with me in the evening.'

'Where to?'

'To walk about the streets after dark, and see the crowds and the
illuminations.'

Nancy uttered this with a sly mirthfuln