ed
her, too much wrapped up in a zest for public appreciation to be very
susceptible of private admiration. Moreover, he knew that most of her
time was occupied by piano-practice. An emotion of pride in his
accomplished sister displaced the pessimism of his first thoughts. He
took pleasure in the imagination of her swaying the whole Pension by her
miraculous execution, and he began to build up the picture of his
entrance upon the last crashing chords of a sonata, when after the
applause had ceased he would modestly step forward as the brother of
this paragon.

The carriage was now bowling comfortably along a wide tree-shaded avenue
bordered on either side by stretches of greenery which were dappled with
children and nursemaids and sedate little girls with bobbing pigtails.
Michael wondered if Stella was making a discreet promenade with the
ladies of the family, half hoped she was, that he might reach the
Pension before her and gracefully welcome her, as she, somewhat
flustered by being late for his arrival, hurried up the front-door
steps. Then, just as he was wondering whether there would or would not
be front-door steps to the Pension, the cab drew up by a house with a
green verandah and front-garden geranium-dyed to right and left of a
vivid gravel path. Michael perceived, with a certain disapproval, that
the verandah sheltered various ladies in wicker chairs. He disliked the
notion of carrying up his bag in the range of their cool criticism, not
did he relish the conversation that would have to be embarked upon with
the neat maid already hurrying to meet him. But most contrary to his
preconceived idea of arrival was the affectionate ambush laid for him by
Stella just when he was trying to remember whether 'chambre' were
masculine or feminine. Yet, even as he felt Stella's dewy lips on his,
and her slim fingers round his neck, he reproached himself for his silly
shyness, although he could only say:

"Hullo, look out for my collar."

Stella laughed ripplingly.

"Oh, Michael," she cried, "I'm most frightfully glad to see you, you
darling old Michael."

Michael looked much alarmed at the amazing facility of her affectionate
greeting, and vaguely thought how much easier existence must be to a
girl who never seemed to be hampered by any feeling of what people
within earshot would think of her. Yet almost immediately Stella herself
relapsed into shyness at the prospect of introducing Michael to the
family, and it wa