The Making of a Prig

at she could laugh with as much enjoyment as ever, and that her fits of depression were less frequent than before. In fact, she had often been far more unsettled if a

he sensation was a very thrilling one. Phyllis asked her, one day, why she was looking so happy. Katharine laughed, and pondered for a moment; then answered frankly that she did not know why. "I only know that I have never been so gloriously happy in my whole life," she added; and she wondered, as she spoke, whether the mad, feverish happiness of the summer months had really been happiness at all. But Phyllis, who felt that she had no share in this strange new life of hers, looked back regretfully on the earlier days when Katharine had been lonely and in need of her sympathy. Even Ted told her she was looking "very fit," and this was the highest term of praise in his vocabulary. For, since the beginning of October, she had seen a good deal of Ted. It was very restful to come back to him,

n, with what my cousin allows me; and I'm not going to grind all I know, to get a rise of five bob a week. It isn't good enough. I'm sure I'm very easily contented, and my wants are few enough. Oh, rats! I must have a frock coat; every decen

habit she had acquired since she last saw him. Besides, he was a link with her childhood, that period of vague existence which had held no problems to be solved, and had never inspired her with a wish to reform human nature. So they spent many evenings and half-holidays together, and they went frequently to the theatre and sat in the gallery, which often entertained them as much as the play itself; and he loved to pay for her, with a manly air, at the box office, and alway

. "We'll go to a new place, where the waiters aren't dirty, and the wine isn't

brilliant little one close to the theatres, where they had a waiter to themselves instead of the fifth part of a very distracted and breathless one. The state of Ted's pockets could always be esti

o your confidence," he assured Kitty, when it had just

observed Katharine. Ted changed the conversation. On his twenty-se

hite, and blue; mean to say you didn't twig that? You're getting less alive every day, Kit! Awfull

owledge, that she would not have robbe

women to me," she observed, after

How should you? Women never do

thing?" she remonstrated. She had visions of all the unpaid bill

beastly serious over everything. Bills? What bills? There aren't

cause he was so funny all through,-first, in his fear of being asked by the conjurer for his hat which was a new one, or his watch which was only represented by his watch chain; and secondly, because he tried so

to-morrow; you won't forget?" he asked rathe

answered, hastily. "Dear old T

; but he disconcerted her very much by asking her bluntly why the dickens she was playing so poorly; and she felt unreasonably annoyed to find that her fears were groundless. So for some time longer they went on as before, in the same happy-go-lucky kind of way that had always characterised them. She learned to know several of his friends, most of them genuine boyish fellows, who appealed to her more by their affection for Ted than by any qualities they possessed themselves. The

idence, if she would mind coming to tea

stened to add; "but Monty is going to bring his sister

ment. "What is there to mind? I want to see your chambers ver

ed of the pattern in the linoleum with his walking stick. They wer

d; and she was on precisely the same footing with him in the eyes of the world as she was with Paul Wilton. Unconsciously, she compared the attitude of the two men under similar circu

ce her to any of his friends; because she knew very well that he warned them all befo

nts to meet you, awfully; says he likes the look of your photograph. I told him

intellectual ability with some cynicism w

o meet him," she said.

mustn't I? You can't give Monty milk that's been sitting for hours, and spo

re they'll let me have it on Sunday," said K

ds were, he felt that his tea-party was a success. The only thing that marred his enjoyment was the fact that Katharine, for some unaccountable caprice, refused to be intellectual in spite of the efforts of M

've seen it, Miss Austen?" he began. "Awfully plucky

et. Ted and I hate those advanced plays,-they'r

a little disconcerted by this fran

e," he said, apologetically. "She's just as keen on

he knew, but he turned t

was talking about posters at all,-"have you seen that awfully clever one of the new paper, 'The Future'? I

't you, with a black sun and a cactus thing, and a lot of spots all over it? T

Ted, who was torn in two by his admirat

ul, Kitty," he said, anx

itely, "it is only a matter of

y as well as he could. "By the way, talking of taste, what do yo

d, and glanced

any one who knew her well how close she was to laughter; "but he isn't a bit new, is he? I mean, he o

nored his remark, and said that he never read any of the old po

disappointed tone. "A chap never knows where to have you. I

ssion of her "ideas." But, to his surprise, the great Monty himself joined in her laughter, and seemed inexpressibly relieved to find that she was

eil, "supposing we have some tea." And for the rest of the afternoon they beha

y clever, really. You may rot as much as you like, but Monty does

in the world not to let him read another magazine or newspaper for

at her a li

ting on beastly well,

to meet him," continued Katharine, innocently. Ted walked to t

ool," he burst out savagely. Kat

ed. "Ted! What

the mantel-shelf, and bu

a man like that! You know piles more than he does, old boy, ever so much more. You don't put on

at just to please me. You think I am a fool all the time, only you are a good old br

nd on his arm. She did not reason with herself; she o

arnestly, "I am gl

nervously at the eagerness of his expression. He had not lo

mean tha

uld have been awful if I had been alone." He looked only half satisfied; and she went on desperately, caring for nothing but to charm away the

again, in a voice that he could no

ooked at her searchingly for a moment, then shook off her hand and pushed her away from him. She shivered as the suspicion crossed her mind that he had guessed her thoughts, though she knew q

u, dear,-you know I am not. I am never going to marry any one; I am not the sort to marry; I am hard, and cold, and bitter. Sometimes, I think I shall just w

She stood on tiptoe, and impetuously kissed the only place on his cheek she co

n't care," she said, defiantly. And Ted

of it is your

arine avoided his eyes, for

" she said. "Will

at and coat, and Ted

ter all," he said, with a