asty hardened creature, and
I do hate her. Don't you see how she covers herself with paint?"

"I haven't seen her for the last three months."

Then she kissed him again and again, foolishly betraying her past
fears. "I am almost sorry I bothered you by telling you, only I didn't
like to say nothing about it. It might have come out, and you would
have thought it odd. How a woman can be so nasty I cannot imagine. But
I will never trouble you by talking of her again. Only I have told
James that she is not to be let into the house."

CHAPTER LX.

THE LAST OF THE BARONESS.

At this time Dr. Olivia Q. Fleabody had become quite an institution in
London. She had obtained full though by no means undisputed possession
of the great hall in the Marylebone Road, and was undoubtedly for the
moment the Queen of the Disabilities. She lectured twice a week to
crowded benches. A seat on the platform on these occasions was
considered by all high-minded women to be an honour, and the body of
the building was always filled by strongly-visaged spinsters and
mutinous wives, who twice a week were worked up by Dr. Fleabody to a
full belief that a glorious era was at hand in which woman would be
chosen by constituencies, would wag their heads in courts of law, would
buy and sell in Capel Court, and have balances at their banker's. It
was certainly the case that Dr. Fleabody had made proselytes by the
hundred, and disturbed the happiness of many fathers of families.

It may easily be conceived that all this was gall and wormwood to the
Baroness Banmann. The Baroness, on her arrival in London, had
anticipated the success which this low-bred American female had
achieved. It was not simply the honour of the thing,--which was very
great and would have been very dear to the Baroness,--but the American
Doctor was making a rapid fortune out of the proceeds of the hall. She
had on one occasion threatened to strike lecturing unless she were
allowed a certain very large percentage on the sum taken at the doors,
and the stewards and directors of the Institute had found themselves
compelled to give way to her demands. She had consequently lodged
herself magnificently at the Langham Hotel, had set up her brougham, in
which she always had herself driven to the Institute, and was asked out
to dinner three or four times a week; whereas the Baroness was in a
very poor condition. She had indeed succeeded in getting herself
invited to Mr. De Baron's