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said: “She is going to be married to that musician fellow—Piper———”

“Impossible! I don’t believe it.”

“He told me so himself. So that’s an end to everything. I have had my nasty knock, too, you see. ’Tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but ’tis enough, ’twill serve.”

“I can’t understand it at all.”

“Neither can I. But yet I do. It is the stage mania with her still. She loves it more than anything else in the world—more than old Piper too, I fancy, but he will smooth the way for her.”

“Young people, do you know that it is nearly five o’clock, and mother has gone to bed? Everybody has gone away. Are you going to come to breakfast in your ball clothes, Lizzie?” and Miss Klingender appeared for an instant on the pathway before them, like an accusing angel, and then flashed away to attend to some other pressing duty; for the entertainment of twenty guests all staying in the house was mostly depending on her efforts.

Mrs. Austin laughed carelessly, and rising flung her arms over her head with a natural free gesture, as of one who throws off an unaccustomed burden.

“Well, it is time we were off, anyway. I am