patient, awkward fumbling of her aged hands;
but as she passed her knife into the last leaf she said abruptly--'And
how is your sister going on? She's very light!' Lady Davenant added
before Laura had time to reply.

'Oh, Lady Davenant!' the girl exclaimed, vaguely, slowly, vexed with
herself as soon as she had spoken for having uttered the words as a
protest, whereas she wished to draw her companion out. To correct this
impression she threw back her waterproof.

'Have you ever spoken to her?' the old woman asked.

'Spoken to her?'

'About her behaviour. I daresay you haven't--you Americans have such a
lot of false delicacy. I daresay Selina wouldn't speak to you if you
were in her place (excuse the supposition!) and yet she is capable----'
But Lady Davenant paused, preferring not to say of what young Mrs.
Berrington was capable. 'It's a bad house for a girl.'

'It only gives me a horror,' said Laura, pausing in turn.

'A horror of your sister? That's not what one should aim at. You ought
to get married--and the sooner the better. My dear child, I have
neglected you dreadfully.'

'I am much obliged to you, but if you think marriage looks to me happy!'
the girl exclaimed, laughing without hilarity.

'Make it happy for some one else and you will be happy enough yourself.
You ought to get out of your situation.'

Laura Wing was silent a moment, though this was not a new reflection to
her. 'Do you mean that I should leave Selina altogether? I feel as if I
should abandon her--as if I should be a coward.'

'Oh, my dear, it isn't the business of little girls to serve as
parachutes to fly-away wives! That's why if you haven't spoken to her
you needn't take the trouble at this time of day. Let her go--let her
go!'

'Let her go?' Laura repeated, staring.

Her companion gave her a sharper glance. 'Let her stay, then! Only get
out of the house. You can come to me, you know, whenever you like. I
don't know another girl I would say that to.'

'Oh, Lady Davenant,' Laura began again, but she only got as far as
this; in a moment she had covered her face with her hands--she had burst
into tears.

'Ah my dear, don't cry or I shall take back my invitation! It would
never do if you were to _larmoyer_. If I have offended you by the way I
have spoken of Selina I think you are too sensitive. We shouldn't feel
more for people than they feel for themselves. She has no tears, I'm
sure.'

'Oh, she has, she has!' cried the girl,