in charge; and for the most part she left her to Milray.
Once, as the girl sat beside him in her steamer-chair, Mrs. Milray shed
a wrap on his knees in whirring by on the arm of one of her young men,
with some laughed and shouted charge about it.

"What did she say?" he asked Clementina, slanting the down-pulled brim
of his soft hat purblindly toward her.

She said she had not understood, and then Milray asked, "What sort of
person is that Boston youth of Mrs. Milray's? Is he a donkey or a lamb?"

Clementina said ingenuously, "Oh, she's walking with that English
gentleman now--that lo'd."

"Ah, yes," said Milray. "He's not very much to look at, I hear."

"Well, not very much," Clementina admitted; she did not like to talk
against people.

"Lords are sometimes disappointing, Clementina," Milray said, "but
then, so are other great men. I've seen politicians on our side who were
disappointing, and there are clergymen and gamblers who don't look
it." He laughed sadly. "That's the way people talk who are a little
disappointing themselves. I hope you don't expect too much of yourself,
Clementina?"

"I don't know what you mean," she said, stiffening with a suspicion that
he might be going to make fun of her.

He laughed more gayly. "Well, I mean we must hold the other fellows up
to their duty, or we can't do our own. We need their example. Charity
may begin at home, but duty certainly begins abroad." He went on, as
if it were a branch of the same inquiry, "Did you ever meet my sisters?
They came to the hotel in New York to see Mrs. Milray."

"Yes, I was in the room once when they came in."

"Did you like them?"

"Yes--I sca'cely spoke to them--I only stayed a moment."

"Would you like to see any more of the family?"

"Why, of cou'se!" Clementina was amused at his asking, but he seemed in
earnest.

"One of my sisters lives in Florence, and Mrs. Milray says you think of
going there, too."

"Mrs. Landa thought it would be a good place to spend the winter. Is it
a pleasant place?"

"Oh, delightful! Do you know much about Italy?"

"Not very much, I don't believe."

"Well, my sister has lived a good while in Florence. I should like to
give you a letter to her."

"Oh, thank you!" said Clementina.

Milray smiled at her spare acknowledgment, but inquired gravely: "What
do you expect to do in Florence?"

"Why, I presume, whateva Mrs. Landa wants to do."

"Do you think Mrs. Lander will want to go into societ