line, its
expression somewhat aggressive--eyes shrewdly observant and lips
consciously impregnable. But the connoisseur delayed his verdict. It
was a face that invited, that compelled, study. Self-confidence,
intellectual keenness, a bright humour, frank courage, were traits
legible enough; and when the lips parted to show their warmth, their
fullness, when the eyelids drooped a little in meditation, one became
aware of a suggestiveness directed not solely to the intellect, of
something like an unfamiliar sexual type, remote indeed from the
voluptuous, but hinting a possibility of subtle feminine forces that
might be released by circumstance. She wore a black serge gown, with
white collar and cuffs; her thick hair rippled low upon each side of
the forehead, and behind was gathered into loose vertical coils; in
shadow the hue seemed black, but when illumined it was seen to be the
darkest, warmest brown.

Offering a strong, shapely hand, she looked at her visitor with a smile
which betrayed some mixture of pain in the hearty welcome.

'And how long have you been in London?'

It was the tone of a busy, practical person. Her voice had not much
softness of timbre, and perhaps on that account she kept it carefully
subdued.

'So long as that? How I wish I had known you were so near! I have been
in London myself about two years. And your sisters?'

Virginia explained Alice's absence, adding,--

'As for poor Monica, she has only Sunday free--except one evening a
month. She is at business till half-past nine, and on Saturday till
half-past eleven or twelve.'

'Oh, dear, dear, dear!' exclaimed the other rapidly, making a motion
with her hand as if to brush away something disagreeable. 'That will
never do. You must put a stop to that.'

'I am sure we ought to.'

Virginia's thin, timid voice and weak manner were thrown into painful
contrast by Miss Nunn's personality.

'Yes, yes; we will talk about it presently. Poor little Monica! But do
tell me about yourself and Miss Madden. It is so long since I heard
about you.'

'Indeed I ought to have written. I remember that at the end of our
correspondence I remained in your debt. But it was a troublesome and
depressing time with me. I had nothing but groans and moans to send.'

'You didn't stay long, I trust, with that trying Mrs. Carr?'

'Three years!' sighed Virginia.

'Oh, your patience!'

'I wished to leave again and again. But at the end she always begged me
not t