sensitive.

Johanna went methodically on with her darning; but the new idea which
her mother had dropped into her mind, took root and grew. Strange that
it had not occurred to her before! Dove's state of mind had been patent
from the first; but she had had no suspicions of Maurice Guest. His
manner with Ephie had hitherto been that of a brother: he had never
behaved like the rest. Yet, when she looked back on his visit of the
previous evening, she could not but be struck by the strangeness of his
demeanour: his distracted silence, his efforts to speak to Ephie alone,
and the expression with which he had watched her. And Ephie?--what of
her? Now that Johanna thought of it, a change had also come over
Ephie's mode of treating Maurice; the gay insouciance of the early days
had given place to the pert flippancy which, only the night before, had
so pained her sister. What had brought about this change? Was it pique?
Was Ephie chafing, in secret, at his prolonged absences, and was she,
girl-like, anxious to conceal it from him?

Johanna gathered up her work to go to her own room and think the matter
out in private. In the passage, she ran into the arms of Mrs. Tully,
whom she disliked; for, ever since coming to the PENSION, this lady had
carried on a kind of cult with Ephie, which was distasteful in the
extreme to Johanna.

"Oh, Miss Cayhill!" she now exclaimed. "I was just groping my way--it
is indeed groping, is it not?--to your sitting-room. WHERE is your
sister? I want SO much to ask her if she will have tea with me this
afternoon. I am expecting a few friends, and should be so glad if she
would join us."

"Ephie is practising, Mrs. Tully," said Johanna in her coolest tone.
"And I cannot have her disturbed."

"She is so very, very diligent," said Mrs. Tully with enthusiasm. "I
always remark to myself on hearing her, how very idle a life like mine
is in comparison. I am able to do SO little; just a mere trifle here
and there, a little atom of good, one might say. I have no
talents.--And you, too, dear Miss Cayhill. So studious, so clever! I
hear of you on every side," and, letting her eyes rest on Johanna's
head, she wondered why the girl wore her hair so unbecomingly.

Johanna did not respond.

"If only you would let your hair grow, it would make such a difference
to your appearance," said Mrs. Tully suddenly, with disconcerting
outspokenness.

Johanna drew herself up.

"Thanks," she said. "I have always worn