least, Mrs. Romer was forced to call by a more
formal name--all proved to that astute little woman that Vera Nevill was
no ordinary antagonist, no village maiden to be snubbed or patronised at
her pleasure, but a woman of the world, who understood how to fight her
own battles, and was likely, as she was forced to own to herself, to
"give back as good as she got."

Not another single word was spoken between them, for at that very minute
a door was thrown open, and the whole of the party in the house came
trooping forth in pairs from the drawing-room in a long procession on
their way to the dining-room.

First came Mr. Miller with old Mrs. Macpherson on his arm. Then Mr. Pryme
and Miss Sophy Macpherson; her sister behind with Guy Miller; Beatrice,
looking melancholy, with the curate in charge; and her mother last with
Sir John, who had come over from Kynaston to dinner. Edwin Miller, the
second son, by himself brought up the rear.

There was some laughter at the expense of the three defaulters, who, of
course, were supposed to have only just hurried downstairs.

"Aha! just saved your soup, ladies!" cried Mr. Miller, laughingly. "Fall
in, fall in, as best you can!"

Mrs. Miller came to the rescue, and, by a rapid stroke of generalship,
marshalled them into their places.

Miss Nevill, of course, was a stranger; Helen had been on intimate terms
with them all for years; Vera, besides, was standing close to Maurice.

"Please take in Miss Nevill, Captain Kynaston; and Edwin, my dear, give
your arm to Mrs. Romer."

Edwin, who was a pleasant-looking boy, with plenty to say for himself,
hurried forward with alacrity; and Helen had to accept her fate with the
best grace she could.

"Well, how did you get on with Vera, and how did you like her?" asked Sir
John, coming round to his brother's side of the table when the ladies had
left the room. He had noted with pleasure that Vera and Maurice had
talked incessantly throughout the dinner.

"My dear fellow!" cried Maurice, heartily, "she is the handsomest woman I
ever met in my life! I give you my word that, when she introduced herself
to me coming downstairs, I was so surprised, she was so utterly different
to what I and the mother have been imagining, that upon my life I
couldn't speak a word--I could do nothing but stare at her!"

"You like her, then?" said his brother, smiling, well pleased at his
openly expressed admiration.

"I think you are a very lucky fellow, old