know.

"A doctor. In rather good practice, too, in Dublin. He is very clever,"
says Miss Browne, telling her story so genially, so comfortably, that
all their hearts go out to her, and Madam O'Connor grows lost in a
revery about what will be the handsomest and most suitable thing to give
"Peter" as a wedding-present. As she cannot get beyond a case of
dissecting-knives, this revery is short.

"Perhaps if you saw some one else you might change your mind," she says,
a new thought entering her head (of course there would be a difficulty
about offering dissecting-knives to a barrister or quiet country
gentleman).

"I have had five proposals this year already," says Miss Browne,
quietly, "but, if I could be a princess by doing so, I would not give up
Peter."

"Mary Browne, come here and give me a kiss," says Madam O'Connor, with
tears in her eyes. "You are the best girl I know, and I always said it.
I only hope your Peter knows the extent of his luck."

Miss Browne having to leave the room some few minutes later Olga raises
herself from the lounging position she has been in, with her hands
clasped behind her head, and says, slowly,--

"I don't think she is so plain, after all."

"Neither do I," says Monica, eagerly, "there is something so sweet about
her expression."

"I am perfectly certain that man Peter is awfully in love with her,"
says Mrs. Herrick solemnly, "and that without the slightest thought of
her money."

"What would he think of her money for?" says Madam O'Connor, testily,
who had firmly believed him a fortune-hunter only two minutes ago.
"Isn't she a jewel in herself?"

"By the bye, where is our Bella all this time?" says Olga, suddenly.
"It now occurs to me that of course we have been missing her all this
time."

"I know," says Monica, mysteriously: "she is _asleep_,--getting herself
up for her Lady Teazle. I was running along the corridor, outside her
room, half an hour ago, when her mother came out on tiptoe and implored
me to go gently, lest I should wake her."

"Gentle dove," says Mrs. Herrick.

"I shall go and dance the _can-can_ up and down that corridor this
moment," says Mrs. Bohun, rising to her feet with fell determination in
her eye.

"I think you had all better go to your rooms and get ready for dinner.
It is painfully early to-night," says Madam, "on account of all this
nonsense of Olga's. But no dressing mind, as I have told the men to come
as they are. There will be plenty o