to amuse Miss Laura--she'd tell it in _her_
way! "Miss Temple, I wanted to tell you, I wore that flame-coloured
dress you gave Aunt Creddle at the promenade dance the other night.
She burnt mine ironing it out, so I borrowed that at the last minute.
But I did it no harm and gave it back to her next day." The words came
out breathlessly, in a little rush, and the bright eyes peered
defiantly through the little window.

"Oh, what a pity to give it back," said Laura. "I expect it suited
you, and really I only gave it to Mrs. Creddle, because Mr. Wilson
disliked it so much." She smiled round at him, then turned again to
Caroline. "Do wear it again, and then I can let you have the shoes and
stockings to match. They are such a peculiar shade that they will go
with nothing else I have."

"No, thank you," said Caroline abruptly: but the next minute she smiled
into the face so near her own, softening her refusal--for she could not
help feeling the charm of that open-eyed kindness with which Laura had
looked out at the world since she was in the cradle. It was so real:
and yet it formed a weak spot in Laura's nature. For she wanted so
much to be liked that she was--as some one had once said of her--just a
little bit disappointed if a stray cat did not purr as she went past.
Now she answered quite eagerly, but with a perfectly genuine eagerness:
"Oh, I do hope you'll change your mind. Anyway, I'll send the shoes
and stockings, though I'm afraid the shoes will be too big for you."

Then she went off, leaving Caroline tingling from head to foot with
annoyance against Wilson. To think he should treat her in that way, as
if the dance the other night were something to be ashamed of. Only
wait until he tried to speak to her when Miss Temple was not there, and
he should see what would happen.

But Wilson was walking by Laura's side on the promenade without the
remotest intention of talking to Caroline again: and he had so lost
interest in her that he was almost surprised to hear his lady ask how
the dress looked.

"I spoke to the girl because I mistook her for you from the back," he
said.

"But did she look nice in it?" persisted Laura.

"Nice?" He paused, and she was so tall that his face was almost on a
level with her own. Then he glanced back at the pay-box. "Poor little
devil! She can't have known herself, if she happened to see her
reflection that night. The dress worked miracles. I can hardly
believe it wa