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Sheer horror of the situation took away Darsie's breath; she stood stock still in the middle of the floor, felt her lips gape apart, the crimson rush to her face, saw in a mental flash a vision of the country bumpkin she must appear just for a moment, then Aunt Maria's voice said, in even, equable tones "Ah, here she is! Darsie, these are my young friends of whom I have spoken.

No Eastern article, as all travellers are aware, is ever even at both sides." Another burst of laughter greeted this point. The auctioneer showed her pretty white teeth in a complacent smile, her wide grey eyes roved round the room, and met Darsie's eyes raised to her in beaming admiration. "One-and-six did you say, madam?" she cried instantly. "Did I understand you to say one-and-six?

Conversation would have dragged pitifully if it had not been for Aunt Maria's efforts, for the visitors seemed smitten with dumbness, and beneath no the fire of their glances Darsie's embarrassment increased rather than diminished. She had no spirit left; a succession of monosyllables and an occasional "Oh, really!" made up the sum of her contributions to the conversation.

"Well, Miss Darsie Garnett, isn't it about time that you had some talk with me?" "Quite time!" Darsie's tone was eloquent, and she looked Ralph in the face with a quiet steadiness, at which he had the grace to blush.

That's because I'm Dan's sister, of course. He'll be there, too, I expect, and the handsome Percival, and lots more men. The question is, shall we go?" Now Mrs Hoare was the wife of the head of that well-known college of which Dan and Ralph were members, and the invitation was therefore the fulfilment of one of Darsie's dreams. "Of course we'll go!" she cried ardently.

She fussed about clothes, she fussed about food, she fussed about draughts, she fussed about manners, deportment, speech, the way you sat down, the way you got up, the way you laughed, yawned, sneezed, crossed the room, and did your hair. From morning to night, "My dear, don't!" or "My dear, do!" rang in Darsie's ears, till she was almost beside herself with irritation.

We must all do our best to encourage him to work!" By all the members of the family it was taken for granted that Darsie's interest in Ralph's future was equal to, if not greater than, their own; they made no secret of their belief that her influence had the more weight.

Her head had no mercy for such an utter want of ambition and energy, but the heart plays often a bigger part than the head in an estimate of a fellow-creature, and Darsie's heart had a way of making excuses for the handsome truant, who smiled with such beguiling eyes, had such a pretty knack of compliment, and was generally! ready to play knight-errant in her service.

Darsie's head turned round; and it was perhaps well that Redgauntlet called on him to sit down, as even that movement served to hide his confusion. There is an old song which says when ladies are willing, A man can but look like a fool; And on the same principle Darsie Latimer's looks at this unexpected frankness of reception, would have formed an admirable vignette for illustrating the passage.

And then quite suddenly she drew a sharp breath and said aloud in a trembling voice, "Oh, Aunt Maria, dear Aunt Maria!" and her pillow was wet with tears; for Aunt Maria was dead, had died too soon to hear of her grand- niece's experiences at Newnham, to which she had looked forward with such interest, but not before evoking a real love and gratitude in Darsie's heart.