admire her. Everybody must admire her."

"Oh yes;" said Lady Rufford. "She is certainly very pretty. Who is
she, Lady Albury?" Lady Rufford had been a Miss Penge, and the Penges
were supposed to be direct descendants from Boadicea.

"She is Miss Ayala Dormer. Her father was an artist, and her mother
was a very handsome woman. When a girl is as beautiful as Miss
Dormer, and as clever, it doesn't much signify who she is." Then the
direct descendant from Boadicea withdrew, holding an opinion much at
variance with that expressed by her hostess.

"Who is that young lady who sat next to you?" asked Captain Glomax of
Colonel Stubbs, after the ladies had gone.

"She is a Miss Ayala Dormer."

"Did I not see her out hunting with you once or twice early in the
season?"

"You saw her out hunting, no doubt, and I was there. I did not
specially bring her. She was staying here, and rode one of Albury's
horses."

"Take her top and bottom, and all round," said Captain Glomax, "she
is the prettiest little thing I've seen for many a day. When she
curtsyed to Sir Harry in the drawing-room I almost thought that I
should like to be a marrying man myself." Stubbs did not carry on the
conversation, having felt displeased rather than otherwise by the
admiration expressed.

"I didn't quite understand before," said Sir Harry to his wife that
night, "what it was that made Jonathan so furious about that girl;
but I think I see it now."

"Fine feathers make fine birds," said his wife, laughing.

"Feathers ever so fine," said Sir Harry, "don't make well-bred
birds."

"To tell the truth," said Lady Albury, "I think we shall all have to
own that Jonathan has been right."

This took place upstairs, but before they left the drawing-room Lady
Albury whispered a few words to her young friend. "We have had a
terrible trouble about you, Ayala."

"A trouble about me, Lady Albury? I should be so sorry."

"It is not exactly your fault;--but we haven't at all known what to
do with that unfortunate man."

"What man?" asked Ayala, forgetful at the moment of all men except
Colonel Stubbs.

"You naughty girl! Don't you know that my brother-in-law is
broken-hearted about you?"

"Captain Batsby!" whispered Ayala, in her faintest voice.

"Yes; Captain Batsby. A Captain has as much right to be considered
as a Colonel in such a matter as this." Here Ayala frowned, but said
nothing. "Of course, I can't help it, who may break his heart, but
poor B