and glades in the most artful manner with
powder-blue, and calling on us for approbation--when the housemaid
came in.

"It's _not_ lunch-time?" cried Alice. "It can't be!"

"Get away, Mary," said Philip, "and tell cook if she puts on any more
meals I'll paint her best cap pea-green. She's sending up luncheons
and dinners all day long now: just because she knows we're busy."

Mary only laughed, and said, "It's a gentleman wants to see you,
Master Philip," and she gave him a card. Philip read it, and we waited
with some curiosity.

"It's a man I met in the train," said he, "a capital fellow. He lives
in the town. His father's a doctor there. Granny must invite him to
the theatricals. Ask him to come here, Mary, and show him the way."

"Oughtn't you to go and fetch him yourself?" said I.

"I can't leave this," said Philip. "He'll be all right. He's as
friendly as possible."

I must say here that "Granny" was our maternal grandmother, with whom
we lived. My mother and father were cousins, and Granny's husband was
of that impetuous race to which we belonged. If he had been alive he
would have kept us all in good order, no doubt. But he was dead, and
Granny was the gentlest of old ladies: I fear she led a terrible life
with us all!

Philip's friend came up-stairs. He _was_ very friendly; in fact Alice
and I thought him forward, but he was several years older than Philip,
who seemed proud of the acquaintance. Perhaps Alice and I were biased
by the fact that he spoilt our pleasant morning. He was one of those
people who look at everything one has been working at with such
unintelligent eyes that their indifference ought not to dishearten
one; and yet it does.

"It's for our private theatricals," said Philip, as Mr. Clinton's
amazed stare passed from our paint-covered selves to the new scene.

"My cousins in Dublin have private theatricals," said Mr. Clinton. "My
uncle has built on a room for the theatre. All the fittings and scenes
come from London, and the first costumiers in Dublin send in all the
dresses and everything that is required on the afternoon before the
performance."

"Oh, we're in a much smaller way," said Philip; "but I've some
properties here that don't look bad by candlelight." But Mr. Clinton
had come up to the cask, and was staring at it and us. I knew by the
way Alice got quietly up, and shook some chips with a decided air out
of her apron, that she did not like being stared at. But her movemen