milar together, and never dwelling for an
instant on anything."

"How base men are," said Julia, with mock reproach in her voice. "This
is the way he talks of a woman he absolutely persecuted with attentions
the whole season. Would you believe it, Nelly, we cut up our nice little
garden to make a school to train her horse in?"

Whether it was that some secret intelligence was rapidly conveyed from
Julia as she spoke to Nelly, or that the latter of herself caught up the
quizzing spirit of her attack, but the two girls burst out laughing, and
George blushed deeply, in shame and irritation.

"First of all," said he, stammering with confusion, "she had a little
Arab, the wickedest animal I ever saw. It wasn't safe to approach him;
he struck out with his forelegs--"

"Come, Nelly," said Julia, rising, "we'll go into the drawing-room, and
leave George to explain how he tamed the Arab and captivated the Arab's
mistress, for your brother might like to learn the secret. You 'll join
us, gentlemen, when you wish for coffee."

"That was scarcely fair, Julia dear," said Nelly, when they were alone.
"Your banter is sometimes too sharp for him."

"I can't help it, dearest--it is a part of my nature. When I was a
child, they could not take me to a wild-beast show, for I would insist
on poking straws at the tiger--not that poor dear George has much
'tiger' in him. But do you know, Nelly," said she, in a graver tone,
"that when people are very poor, when their daily lives are beset by
the small accidents of narrow fortune, there is a great philosophy in
a little banter? You brush away many an annoyance by seeming to feel
it matter for drollery, which, if taken seriously, might have made you
fretful and peevish."

"I never suspected there was method in your madness, Ju," said Nelly,
smiling.

"Nor was there, dearest; the explanation was almost an afterthought.
But come now and tell me about yourselves."

"There is really little to tell. Augustus never speaks to me now of
business matters. I think I can see that he is not fully satisfied with
himself; but, rather than show weakness or hesitation, he is determined
to go on as he began."

"And you are really going to this dreary place?"

"He says so."

"Would any good come, I wonder, of bringing your brother and Pracontal
together? They are both men of high and generous feelings. Each seems
to think that there ought to be some other settlement than a recourse to
lawyers. Do