nd I tremble," said poor Graves, "yes, I shudder. If a bad man got
hold of you, what then? I have my fears. It's out of love I speak."

Griselda was touched at once.

"I know it--I know, dear old Graves," she said. "There are few enough to
care about me, or whether bad or good men are in my company. That is
true, and I am glad you care," she added, springing up, and, throwing
off the wrapper, she bent her stately head and kissed the lined, rugged
cheek, down which a single tear was silently falling. "Dear old 'Melia,
I am sure you love me, and I will keep out of the hands of bad men and
women too. I want to go to-day to see a good, brave woman who sings
divinely, and whose whole life is devoted to her brother--a wonderful
musician."

"Musician, yes. Music--music----"

"But, to other things also; Mr. Herschel studies the wonders of the
heavens, and is measuring the mountains in the moon and searching
star-depths."

"A pack of nonsense!" said Graves, recovering herself from the passing
wave of sentiment which had swept over her. "A pack of nonsense! I take
the stars as God set them in the heavens--to give light with the
moon--and I want to know no more than the Word teaches me. The sun to
rule by day, the moon and stars to rule by night. There! I hear her
ladyship. Yes, I'll order the chair--maybe two; but you'll dine first?
Her ladyship said she should dine at two--late enough."

"Well, make haste and get her up, and stroke her the right way."

"Ah, that's not easy. There's always a crop of bristles sticking up
after a night's work like the last. It's the way of the natural man, and
we must just put up with it."

There could be no doubt that when Lady Betty at last presented herself
from the room opening from the drawing-room she was in a bad mood, and
Griselda said "her chance of getting to the Herschels' was remote if it
depended on her will."

Lady Betty yawned and grumbled, and taxed Griselda with stupidity; and
said by her airs she had affronted one of the best friends she, a poor
widow, had.

"Sir Maxwell won't stand to be flouted by you, miss--a man of _ton_ like
him; and _you_--well, I do not tell tales, or I might ruin your chance
of matrimony."

Griselda's eyes flashed angrily; and then, recovering herself, she said:

"At what hour shall we order the chairs?"

"The chairs?--who said I wanted a chair? I am too worn out--too tired. I
vow I can scarcely endure myself. However, it might kill time to