ild, and embrace me! But this is not your sister? My sight
begins to fail me so terribly; we must expect it, Mrs. Money, at our
time of life."

Lucy tossed her head at this, and could hardly be civil. She was always
putting in little protests, more or less distinctly expressed, against
Lady Limpenny's classification of Mrs. Money and herself as on the same
platform in the matter of age, and talking so openly of "their time of
life." In truth, Mrs. Money was still quite a young-looking woman, while
Lady Limpenny herself was a remarkably well-preserved and even handsome
matron; a little perhaps too full-blown, and who might at the worst have
sat fairly enough for a portrait of Hamlet's mother, according to the
popular dramatic rendering of Queen Gertrude.

"No; this young lady is taller than Theresa. I can see that, although I
have forgotten my glass. I always forget or mislay my glass."

"This is Miss Grey--Miss Minola Grey," said Mrs. Money. "Lady Limpenny,
allow me to introduce my dear young friend, Miss Minola Grey."

"Dear child, what a sweet, pretty name! Now tell me, dearest, where did
your people find out that name? I should so like to know."

"I think it was found in Shakespeare," Minola answered. "It was my
mother's choice, I believe."

"A name in the family, no doubt. Some names run in families. I dare say
you have had a--what is it?--Minola in your family in every generation.
One cannot tell the origin of these things. I have often thought of
making a study of family names. Now my name--Laura. There never was a
generation of our family--we are the Atomleys--there never was a
generation of the Atomleys without a Laura. Now, how curious, in my
husband's family--Sir James Limpenny--in every generation one of the
girls was always called by the pet name of Chat. Up to the days of the
Conquest, I do believe--or is it the Confessor perhaps?--you would find
a Chat Limpenny."

"There is a Chat Moss somewhere near Manchester," said Lucy saucily,
still not forgiving the remark about the time of life. "We crossed it
once in a railway."

"Oh, but that has nothing to do with it, Lucy darling--nothing at all. I
am speaking of girls, you know--girls called by a pet name. I dare say
that name was in my husband's family--oh, long before the place you
speak of was ever discovered. But now, Miss Grey, do pray excuse me
again--such a very charming name--Minola! But pray do excuse me: may I
ask is that hair all your own? O