xcited, that Flora
wished devoutly that she was safe at home. Presently her odd companion
laid aside her pipe, pushed from before her the now empty tumbler, and,
rising abruptly, exclaimed--

"I've had enough."

Flora thought that she might have come to that conclusion half an hour
before.

"I'm not intoxicated," she said: "I only drink enough to raise my
spirits, and drive away the blue devils. And now for a little music."

She sat down to the piano.

"I play entirely from ear, Mrs. Lyndsay; I leave you to judge if I have
not an exquisite taste. Here is a march I composed this morning for
Captain Lyndsay's black regiment--Hottentot of course. You say he plays
well himself. He cannot fail to admire it. I will write it out for him
to-morrow."

Of all Miss Carr's strange whims, the idea she entertained of her being
a great musician, was the most absurd. She rattled over the keys at a
tremendous rate, striking them with such force that she made the
instrument shake. It was a mad revel--a hurricane of sound, yet, not
without a certain degree of eccentric talent. In the midst of a
tremendous passage there came a knock at the door.

"That's my husband," said Flora, rising, glad to get away.

It was only the maid.

"You are no prophet," said Miss Carr, rattling on; "you must stay till I
give you _Napoleon's Passage of the Alps_. I wrote it on the spot. It is
a grand thing. I mean to publish it one of these days."

Flora said, "that she should be happy to hear it some other time. It was
late. She was anxious to get home."

"Be off with you then," said Wilhelmina, laughing, "and don't tell me
any white lies, or try and convince your good man, that I have been
endeavouring to corrupt your morals."

Lyndsay was amused, but not much pleased, with the account his wife gave
him of her visit to Miss Carr.

"You must drop that woman's acquaintance, if possible," said he.
"Whether insane, or only eccentric, any particular intimacy with her
must be attended with unpleasant consequences."

Flora was willing enough to follow his advice; but to get rid of Miss
Carr was sooner said than done. Flora did not go to that lady's house,
but Wilhelmina chose to come to her; though she gave her neither pipes
to smoke, nor brandy to drink, her odd guest never failed to step in
once or twice a week.

"You are an ungrateful creature, Flora Lyndsay," said Wilhelmina, one
day to her--"very ungrateful. You know I am fond of you; but yo