wered Sir Francis; "only her old tricks. That
girl has such a knack of making everybody miserable that, hang me, it's
quite surprising. Last night she sent the governess crying away from
the dinner-table. Afterwards, as I was passing Frank's room, I heard the
poor little beggar howling in the dark, and found his sister had been
frightening his soul out of his body, by telling him stories about the
ghost that's in the house. At lunch she gave my lady a turn; and though
my wife's a fool, she's a good soul--I'm hanged if she ain't."

"What did Missy do to her?" Strong asked.

"Why, hang me, if she didn't begin talking about the late Amory, my
predecessor," the Baronet said, with a grin. "She got some picture out
of the Keepsake, and said she was sure it was like her dear father, She
wanted to know where her father's grave was. Hang her father! Whenever
Miss Amory talks about him, Lady Clavering always bursts out crying: and
the little devil will talk about him in order to spite her mother.
Today when she began, I got in a confounded rage; said I was her father;
and--and that sort of thing, and then, sir, she took a shy at me."

"And what did she say about you, Frank?" Mr. Strong, still laughing,
inquired of his friend and patron.

"Gad, she said I wasn't her father; that I wasn't fit to comprehend her;
that her father must have been a man of genius, and fine feelings, and
that sort of thing: whereas I had married her mother for money."

"Well, didn't you?" asked Strong.

"It don't make it any the pleasanter to hear because it's true, don't
you know," Sir Francis Clavering answered. "I ain't a literary man and
that; but I ain't such a fool as she makes me out. I don't know how it
is, but she always manages to put me in the hole, don't you understand.
She turns all the house round her in her quiet way, and with her
confounded sentimental airs. I wish she was dead, Ned."

"It was my wife whom you wanted dead just now," Strong said, always in
perfect good-humour; upon which the Baron with his accustomed candour,
said, "Well; when people bore my life out, I do wish they were dead, and
I wish Missy were down a well, with all my heart."

Thus it will be seen from the above report of this candid conversation
that our accomplished little friend had some peculiarities or defects of
character which rendered her not very popular. She was a young lady of
some genius, exquisite sympathies and considerable literary attainments,
l