go to a penny gaff. Collier is worse than ever to-night."

"And you better, Leo," said Nina, who had always comforting words for
him. "Did you not hear how enthusiastic the audience were? And if this
is the young lady you told me of--who was so friendly in Scotland that
she did not fear ridicule for herself in order to save you from the
possibility of ridicule--surely she will be so well-wishing to you that
she will understand you have nothing to do with the foolishness on the
stage."

"If you are thinking of that salmon-fishing incident," he said, rather
hastily, "of course you mustn't imagine there was any fear of _her_
encountering any ridicule. Oh, certainly not. It was no new thing for
her to get wet when she was out fishing--"

"At all events, it was a friendly act to you," said Nina, on whom that
occurrence seemed to have made some impression. "And if she is so
generous, so benevolent towards you, do you think she will not see you
are not responsible for the comic business?"

It was at the end of the penultimate act that an attendant brought round
Miss Cunyngham and her mother--the latter a handsome and
distinguished-looking elderly lady, with white hair done up _a la Marie
Antoinette_--behind the scenes; and Nina, hanging some way back, could
see them being presented to Miss Burgoyne. Nina was a little breathless
and bewildered. She had heard a good deal about the fisher-maiden in the
far North, of her hardy out-of-door life, and her rough and serviceable
costume; and perhaps she had formed some mental picture of her--very
different from the actual appearance of this tall young Englishwoman,
whose clear, calm eyes, strongly marked eyebrows, and proud, refined
features were so striking. Here was no simple maiden in a suit of serge,
but a young woman of commanding presence, whose long cloak of
tan-colored velvet, with its hanging sleeves showing a flash of crimson,
seemed to Nina to have a sort of royal magnificence about it. And yet
her manner appeared to be very simple and gentle; she smiled as she
talked to Miss Burgoyne; and the last that Nina saw of her--as they all
left together in the direction of the corridor, Lionel obsequiously
attending them--was that the tall young lady walked with a most gracious
carriage. Nina made sure that they had all disappeared before she, too,
went down the steps; then she made her way to her own room, to get ready
for the final act. Miss Girond, of course, was also here; bu