smile that ended in a gape,

"I thought you were with mother, so I took forty winks after I got those
girls off. Now, I'm at your service, Rosamunda, whenever you like."

"You look as if your head ached. If it does, don't mind me. I'm not
afraid to run home alone, it's so early," answered Rose, observing the
flushed cheeks and heavy eyes of her cousin.

"I think I see myself letting you do it. Champagne always makes my
headache, but the air will set me up."

"Why do you drink it, then?" asked Rose, anxiously.

"Can't help it, when I'm host. Now, don't you begin to lecture; I've had
enough of Archie's old-fashioned notions, and I don't want any more."

Charlie's tone was decidedly cross, and his whole manner so unlike his
usual merry good-nature, that Rose felt crushed, and answered meekly,

"I wasn't going to lecture, only when people like other people, they
can't bear to see them suffer pain."

That brought Charlie round at once, for Rose's lips trembled a little,
though she tried to hide it by smelling the flower she pulled from her
sash.

"I'm a regular bear, and I beg your pardon for being so cross, Rosy," he
said in the old frank way that was so winning.

"I wish you'd beg Archie's too, and be good friends again. You never
were cross when he was your chum," Rose said, looking up at him as he
bent toward her from the low chimney-piece, where he had been leaning
his elbows.

In an instant he stood as stiff and straight as a ramrod, and the heavy
eyes kindled with an angry spark as he said, in his high and mighty
manner,

"You'd better not meddle with what you don't understand, cousin."

"But I do understand, and it troubles me very much to see you so cold
and stiff to one another. You always used to be together, and now you
hardly speak. You are so ready to beg my pardon I don't see why you
can't beg Archie's, if you are in the wrong."

"I'm not!" this was so short and sharp that Rose started, and Charlie
added in a calmer but still very haughty tone: "A gentleman always begs
pardon when he has been rude to a lady, but one man doesn't apologize to
another man who has insulted him."

"Oh, my heart, what a pepperpot!" thought Rose, and, hoping to make him
laugh, she added slyly: "I was not talking about men, but boys, and one
of them a Prince, who ought to set a good example to his subjects."

But Charlie would not relent, and tried to turn the subject by saying
gravely, as he unfastened the little