ey sit back to back!"

"What--two of 'em--are there two figures?"

"Yes. Two images on a donkey, back to back, their elbows tied to one
another's! She's facing the head, and he's facing the tail."

"Is it meant for anybody in particular?"

"Well--it mid be. The man has got on a blue coat and kerseymere
leggings; he has black whiskers, and a reddish face. 'Tis a stuffed
figure, with a falseface."

The din was increasing now--then it lessened a little.

"There--I shan't see, after all!" cried the disappointed first maid.

"They have gone into a back street--that's all," said the one who
occupied the enviable position in the attic. "There--now I have got 'em
all endways nicely!"

"What's the woman like? Just say, and I can tell in a moment if 'tis
meant for one I've in mind."

"My--why--'tis dressed just as SHE dressed when she sat in the front
seat at the time the play-actors came to the Town Hall!"

Lucetta started to her feet, and almost at the instant the door of the
room was quickly and softly opened. Elizabeth-Jane advanced into the
firelight.

"I have come to see you," she said breathlessly. "I did not stop to
knock--forgive me! I see you have not shut your shutters, and the window
is open."

Without waiting for Lucetta's reply she crossed quickly to the window
and pulled out one of the shutters. Lucetta glided to her side. "Let
it be--hush!" she said perempority, in a dry voice, while she seized
Elizabeth-Jane by the hand, and held up her finger. Their intercourse
had been so low and hurried that not a word had been lost of the
conversation without, which had thus proceeded:--

"Her neck is uncovered, and her hair in bands, and her back-comb in
place; she's got on a puce silk, and white stockings, and coloured
shoes."

Again Elizabeth-Jane attempted to close the window, but Lucetta held her
by main force.

"'Tis me!" she said, with a face pale as death. "A procession--a
scandal--an effigy of me, and him!"

The look of Elizabeth betrayed that the latter knew it already.

"Let us shut it out," coaxed Elizabeth-Jane, noting that the rigid
wildness of Lucetta's features was growing yet more rigid and wild with
the meaning of the noise and laughter. "Let us shut it out!"

"It is of no use!" she shrieked. "He will see it, won't he? Donald will
see it! He is just coming home--and it will break his heart--he will
never love me any more--and O, it will kill me--kill me!"

Elizabeth-Jane was frantic