d ribbons, and tapes and buttons, and stays and garters, and
all sorts of things that a man has no right to touch--pugh!"

"Only women sell the stays and garters," corrected Rose vehemently.
"And at least young Mr Breen is not a miserable apology for a man. He
is as much a real man as anybody else--goes out shooting--plays
tennis--"

Again Francie's cat's-paw pounced on her. "How do you know?"

"Why--why--you can see he is one of that sort," squirmed poor Rose.

"Oh!" said Frances significantly, with a firm stare at her sister's
scarlet face. "Deb, there is more in this than meets the eye--even than
meets the eye."

"I don't care what you say," struck Rose blindly.

"Don't tease her," Deb interposed. "And don't be putting preposterous
ideas into the child's head."

"Please, Deb, I am not a child."

"No, my dear, you are not; and therefore you know, as well as we do,
that young Mr Breen is nothing to us."

"Did I say he was anything? It is Francie that makes horrid, vulgar
insinuations."

"But how do you know that he shoots and plays tennis?" persisted
Frances, with a darkling smile.

"Because he told me so--there!"

In five minutes the inquisitor had drawn forth the whole innocent tale.
She fell back in her chair, while Deb seemed to congeal slowly.

"Oh," moaned Frances, "no wonder they thought they could come and call
and make friends with us! And no wonder," she added, more viciously,
"that there he stands leering up at this window, when his horse has
been ready this half hour."

"Is he doing that?" asked Deb quickly.

"Look at him!"

Deb rose and looked; then, with a firm hand, closed the two little
windows and drew down the blinds. With a sob of rage, Rose jumped from
her basket-chair, almost flung her cup and saucer upon the tea-tray,
and rushed out of the room.

Thereupon the little family resolved itself into a strong government
and one rebel.

"When I DO want to marry a shopkeeper," said weeping Rose to her
sisters, "then it will be time enough to make yourselves ridiculous."

But they thought not. "No use," said they, "to shut the stable door
after the steed is stolen." Danger, or the beginning of danger, had
distinctly declared itself, and it was their part to guard the
threatened point. So they took steps to guard it. The name of Breen was
not mentioned, but its flavour lurked in every mouthful of
conversation, like the taste of garlic that has been rubbed round the
salad bowl in th