h women wearing
tight basques, bustles, full sweeping skirts, small hats or bonnets
perched on puffs and braids. . . . Mary, the most radiant and
beautiful and enchanting girl in the world, coming forward with hands
outstretched, while her more formal mother frowned a little at her
enthusiasm . . . or were they both risen to haunt the old house?

But confusion could reign for only a few seconds in Mrs. Oglethorpe's
indomitable soul. She drew herself up to her imposing height, and her
voice was harsher than usual as she addressed the vision that had
confounded her.

"Pardon me. Your likeness to my old friend, Countess Zattiany,
startled me. Who are you, may I ask?"

"Does it really matter?" And once more Mrs. Oglethorpe started,
although the accent was foreign.

"Yes, it does matter," she said grimly. "That is what I have come to
find out."

"Oh!" Again there was a slight lift of the eyebrows. "I had always
heard that Americans were unconventional, but hardly that they carried
their independence of the conventions so far as to invade the house of
a stranger."

"I'll not be put off. Are you Mary Zattiany's daughter?"

For a second there was an expression of broad amusement on the
beautiful cold face opposite, but it passed with a slight shrug of the
shoulders. "No," she said evenly.

"Then who are you?"

"I do not choose to say--at present." Her tone was as arrogant as her
interlocutor's and Mrs. Oglethorpe bristled.

"What does Trent mean by lying about your presence in this house?"

"Judge Trent respects my wishes."

"Your wishes! You've made a fool of him. But I am Countess Zattiany's
oldest friend, and if she has been imposed upon, if she has come to any
harm, if you are after her fortune by pretending on the strength of
your singular likeness to be her heir, I shall know how to put a stop
to it in spite of Judge Trent. I suppose you have never heard of me.
My name is Oglethorpe."

"I have heard of Mrs. Oglethorpe--from Countess Zattiany. But she
failed to prepare me for your excessively bad manners."

"Manners be damned. I use what manners I choose and I've never done
anything else. I repeat to you that Countess Zattiany was the most
intimate friend of my youth and for many years after. If she has no
one to protect her interests in this country, I shall protect them
myself. Don't you suppose I am well aware that if you were in her
confidence she would have sent you direct to me?