Confidence

remain in seclusion, and he was at liberty to interpret this fact as an expression of regret at the loss of Gordon's good offices. He knew other people

r's, and he made bold to go and knock at their door. He had been asked to take care of them, and this function presupposed contact. He had met Captain Loveloc

place-left the place without givin

"My friend Wright has gone away for a week or two, b

s in a little back-street; people do live in rum places when they come abroad! But I assure you, when I got there, I 'm damned if I could make out whether they were there or not. I don't speak a word of German, and there was no one there but the baker's wife. She was a low brute of a woman-she could

chinking had something to do with the state of his temper. But more fortunate himself, he ascertained from the baker's wife that thou

linquished the volume with an alacrity that showed it had not b

cried the young girl, passing before the mir

ly me," Bernard e

ociety. We have n't been to the Kursaal for four days-we have only gone out for a drive. We have taken the most interminable drives. I do believe we have seen every old ruin in the whole country. Mrs. Vivian and Angela are so awfully fond of scenery-they talk about it by the half-hour. They talk about the mountains and trees as if they were people they knew-as if they were gentlemen! I mean as if the mountains and trees were gentlemen. Of course scenery 's lovely, but you can't walk about with a tree. At any rate, that has been all our society-foliage! Foliage and women; but I suppose women are a sort of foliage. They are always rustling about and dropping off. That 's why I could n't make up my mind to go out with them this afternoon. They 've gone to see the Waterworths-the Waterworths arrived yesterday and are staying at some hotel. Five daughters-all unmarried! I don't know what kind of foliage they are; some peculiar kind-they don't drop off. I thought I had had about enough ladies' society-three women all sticking together! I don't think it 's good for a young girl to have nothing but ladies' society-it 's so awfully limited. I suppose I ought to stand up for my own sex and tell you that when we are alone together we want for nothing. But we want for everything, as

d was not exclusively indebted to Miss Evers for entertainment. It was to this source of hospitality, however, that Lovelock mainly appealed, following the young girl out upon the l

you," he said; "but you seem very much

away," she answered-"now

y no means the only attraction of Baden. Besides, I ha

im a moment in silen

undertaken something of th

very natural request

larly gracious; but the young man was not easy to snub. He followed her, and they stood at the second window-the long window that opened upon the balc

natural request for hi

een more so-devote

moment; then wit

ocked us up and sai

ard. "I know Wright has great influence with

nd Mr. Wright were to agree together to put me

hing of that sort," said Bernard. "

designs upon us; that you were w

You said just now that you

always supposed to say something of that sort to a visitor by

eft Baden without coming to bi

od looking out at the little sunny,

u heard the news, mamma?" she went on. "Do you know that Mr. Wright has made us over to M

and came toward Bernard, smiling at

I think you will be a very good care-taker, Mr. Longueville, and I recommend my daughter to put great

ce and I shall do everything I can thi

ma's confidence. I am very different; I have no confidence. And then I don't like being dep

ted yourself," said Bernard. "You said just

him quickly, smiling

of tender deprecation, and the girl bent over and kissed her. "Mamma will tell you it 's the effect of agitation," she said-

away, with a cert

daughter. I don'

light into her eye. She looked admirably handsome, and Bernard fra

d. "Every now and then I have moments of talking nonsense. It 's the air of Baden, I think; it

said Bernard, "it is only a proof the more that y

a. Three or four days of it have been so charming. Let the parcel lie till it 's called for. It is much safer it should n't be touched at all. I shall assume that, metaphorically speaking, Mr. Wright, who, as you have

ood there looking at her with his agreeably mystified smile. She had turned away, but on perceiving that her daughter had gone outside she came toward Bernard again, with her habitual little air of eagerness mitigated by discretion. There instantly rose befor

think she is

d them, and he ga

you ever saw me-in that quiet l

e a little fade

d, glancing at the open window. "I

It was such a charming accident for me! Tell

ore deeply and glance

e just w

y, in profile, just as she had stood while he painted her, against the polished parapet at

kept it?"

said Mrs. Vivian

racity tested. "Dear little daughter of the Puritans-she can't tell a fib!" Berna