bly, up to the derision of the Yankees!'

'But you won't take any notice.'

'Certainly not, ridiculous little puss, except to steer as clear of
her as possible for fear she should be taking her observations.
"Bide as we be"; why, 'tis the best we can do. She can't pick a
hole in your mother though, Bess. It would have been hard to have
forgiven her that! You're not such an aged spinster.'

'It is very funny, though,' said Bessie; 'just enough exaggeration
to give it point! Here is her interview with James Hodd.'

Whereat the Admiral could not help laughing heartily, and then he
picked himself out as the general, laughed again, and said:
'Naughty girl! Bess, I'm glad that is not your line. Little
tracts--Goody Two-Shoes! Why, what did that paper say of your
essay, Miss Bess? That it might stand a comparison with Helps,
wasn't it?'

'And I wish I was likely to enjoy such lasting fame as Goody Two-
Shoes,' laughed Bessie, in a state of secret exultation at this bit
of testimony from her father.

Mrs. Merrifield, though unscathed, was much more hurt and annoyed
than either her husband or her daughter, especially at Susan and
Bessie being termed old maids. She _DID_ think it very ungrateful,
and wondered how Mrs. Arthuret could have suffered such a thing to
be done. Only the poor woman was quite foolish about her daughter--
could have had no more authority than a cat. 'So much for modern
education.'

But it was not pleasant to see the numbers of the magazine on the
counters at Bonchamp, and to know there were extracts in the local
papers, and still less to be indignantly condoled with by neighbours
who expressed their intention of 'cutting' the impertinent girl.
They were exactly the 'old fogies' Arthurine cared for the least,
yet whose acquaintance was the most creditable, and the home party
at Stokesley were unanimous in entreating others to ignore the whole
and treat the newcomers as if nothing had happened.

They themselves shook hands, and exchanged casual remarks as if
nothing were amiss, nor was the subject mentioned, except that Mrs.
Arthuret contrived to get a private interview with Mrs. Merrifield.

'Oh! dear Mrs. Merrifield, I am so grieved, and so is Arthurine. We
were told that the Admiral was so excessively angry, and he is so
kind. I could not bear for him to think Arthurine meant anything
personal.'

'Indeed,' said Mrs. Merrifield, rather astonished.

'But is he so very angry?--for