im a mock little courtesy. It was admirably done. It was
the slightest gesture of supercilious disdain--excellent pantomime. The
boys laughed and shouted, for Theresa's satin and diamonds gave effect
to her acting, and she was a good actor.

This picture had been delayed so long, that at last hearing the shout of
applause behind the scenes, the audience began to call for their share.
In haste, but not the less effectively, Theresa and the rest threw
themselves into attitude and the curtain was pulled aside. Daisy wished
she could have been in the drawing-room, to see the picture; she knew it
must be beautiful; but she was supporting one jewelled arm of Queen
Esther and obliged by her duty to look only at the Queen's face. Daisy
thought even that was a good deal to look at, it was so magnificently
surrounded with decoration: but at the same time she was troubled about
Nora and sorry for her own foolishness, so that her own face was
abundantly in character for the grave concern that sat upon it. This
picture met with, great favour. The people in the library were in much
glee after it was over; all but Daisy and Nora.

"It is all spoiled!" said the latter. "The evening has been hateful. I
wish I hadn't come."

"O Nora! don't say that," Daisy urged. "The pictures are almost over
now; and then we shall have supper."

"I don't want supper! I only wanted to be Queen Esther and you said I
might. It was the prettiest picture of the whole lot."

"But I couldn't help it, Nora."

"I could have done it just as well as Theresa! She didn't look handsome
a bit."

"O Nora, I think she did--for a picture."

"She didn't a bit; the things she had on looked handsome."

Daisy was called away. Her last dressing was to be done now, and the one
of which Daisy was most doubtful. She was to stand for the angel in the
"Game of Life." Other people had no doubt about it. Mrs. Sandford was
sure that the angel's wings would make a good representation, which
Daisy was slow to believe; near by, they looked so very like gauze and
pasteboard! They were arranged, at any rate, to appear as if they grew
out of her shoulders; she was arrayed in flowing white draperies over
her own little cambrick frock; and then she was ready. Hamilton came in.
He was to be the young man in the picture. Daisy liked his appearance
well. But when Preston followed him, she felt unspeakably shocked.
Preston was well got up, in one respect; he looked frightful. He wore a