ften bothered by them," drily returned Maud; "it is months
and months since such a thing happened. If we lived in a more habitable
neighbourhood we should think nothing of it."

"Glad we don't then;" Leo pouted like a sullen child. "It means changing
one's frock, and----"

"There's no need of that--for _you_. _You_ are all right. One black
thing is the same as another."

This was what Leo wanted to find out. She had a pretty new coat and
skirt, eminently satisfactory to herself, but about which there had been
some demur when it first arrived. It was devoid of crape, and had a
neat, coquettish air. Sue thought it hardly decent.

"But what am I to do?" queried her sister. "I did so want something to
wear in wet weather. Even when it is only damp and misty--and you know
it nearly always is damp and misty about here in the autumn--crape gets
limp and wretched looking. However, I'll send this back if you wish,
Sue?"

Upon which Sue had relented--as Leo knew she would. "Of course if you
keep it for walking about in the woods, and do not go where you are
seen, there might be no harm. Or perhaps it might be trimmed----"

"No, no; it could _not_ be trimmed," said Leo, hastily. Trimmed?
Disgusting! The very thought of a plain tailor-made coat which was so
simple and workmanlike, yet so unspeakably chic in its simplicity, being
mauled by a village dress-maker was terrible.

"I must either wear it as it is, or not at all," she exclaimed with
decision; "but I would not wear it to vex you, dear," and the sharpness
softened; "only I can't afford to buy another," murmured Leo,--and of
course she was allowed to wear it.

Accordingly just as the door bell rang, down stepped a very smart little
figure indeed, yet wearing a demure, unconscious air that would have
deceived a Solon.

"Why, Leo! My dear!"

"Men never know," said Leo, calmly, "and that other old rag wasn't fit
to be seen. It's torn at the back, and I gave it Bessie to mend."

"But, dear, you promised,--and supposing Lady Butts----"

"She's not there. I looked from my window."

"I understood this was to be kept for out-of-doors," murmured Sue,
uneasily, "and somehow, Leo, you look altogether,"--but the door opened,
and no more could be said.

Feeling that she had got off cheap on the whole, Leo did nothing further
to merit reprobation, and beyond placing herself well within Mr. George
Butts' line of vision, took no pains to attract his notice.

But she was aw