The Dull Miss Archinard

hant, Lord Calverly, and Sir John (the Damians only did not

rly one morning before break

before going to bed, I wrote t

point. Peter wheeled roun

Mr. Apsw

o at some time, and I fel

Apswith had fallen in love when she first came out twelve years ago. Mr. Apswith's patience, perseverance, and fidelity were certainly admirable, but Peter, like most p

inerva. But, since her father's death, since Peter's bridal home-coming, Mary often found herself thinking of Mr. Apswith, her fundamental sympathy with him on all things, her real loneliness and his devotion. They had corresponded for years, and often saw one another. Familiarity had not bred con

y find words-"may you be very, very

companionship of his wife; it was not a fact to be touched on. Mary longed to fling her arms around his neck and cry o

e," said Odd. "It's a busy sessi

to Paris with her on the 20th. She stops in London for three days. I shall see Mr. Apswith there, get my trousse

Mary. I am selfish, I own.

of one another. I shall be married from here, of c

Her grave, even character had given him a sense of supporting sympathy; he needed a sympathetic atmosphere; and Alicia's influence was a very air-pump. Poor Alicia, thought Odd. The sense of his own despair struck him as rather unmanly. He looked out of the open wind

, the thin white cheek. His heart was very heavy. The paternal instincts are not said to be strong; Odd had not credited himself with possessing them in any elevated form. Yet, now that the poor baby was dead, he realized how keen had been his interest in the little fac

of the lover's tenderness in his heart, though Al

at down beside her on the sofa and smoothed back her hair. Alicia

all right soon

ooked hard at her-her beauty entranced

e?" His earnestness pleased he

, Peter. Did you eve

death of our child? Will you feel for my s

urse I do. It is especially hard

d all the sudden impulse o

bling tone. "That has nothing to do

. She felt her weakness, it irked her, and

nothing." She saw the pain setting her husband's lips sternly. "I suppose

t a brute," sai

'm not, too

don't,

ut it; simply awful

und that from it unconsciously he had dated an epoch, an epoch of resignation t

lowness to one at touch on all points with life in all its manifestations; her mind still remained as much a thing for conjecture as the mind of some animals. But Alicia'

vivacious widow, splendid horsewoman, and good singer; Gladys le Breton, who was very blonde and fl

eputation of doing foolish things badly-dancing on dinner-tables and thor

ter's placid contemplation of her coyness irritated Mary. Miss le Breton's coyn

verly, she cordially hated the big man with the good manners and the coarse laugh. His cynical observation of Miss le Breton aroused quite a feeling of protecting partisanship in Mary's breast, and his looks at Alicia made her blood boil. They were not cynical. S

s cheering; but she hated to

y and pleasantly together. Fleetinge had only met him casually in London clubs and drawing-rooms, but at close quarters he realized that literary tastes, which might have indicated a queer twist accord

as if to show that she needed no chaperonage, conducted h

of selling his horses. In the evening she played billiards in a manly manner, and at odd hours she flirted, but not too forc

and one day Captain Archinard, who spent many of his

a, the Captain followed her, and Alicia and Lord Calverly were left alone near the two children. Katherine was already making sarcastic mental notes as to the hospitality meted out to Hilda and herself, and Hilda stared hard at Mrs. Odd. Mrs. Odd was m

them about at your

d to bring them," said Katherine, and Hilda murmured with an echo-

had been unnecessary

een staring at Hilda and heard the fain

thought that she did not like Lord Calverly, and now

Darwin," she added, looking at Lord Calverly with a laugh; "but Palamon i

ine; "Hilda is very fond of it, and called her

en admiration of his monocled gaze; the fixed gravity

ortable. "Strong meat that for babes," Lord Calverly added, lookin

iterary tastes in my infancy I might have read all the improper books

d Calverly's appreciative monocle-the monocle turning on her more than once while its wearer lounged with abrupt, lazy laughs near Alicia. Hilda wondered if Mrs. Odd liked a man who could so laugh and lounge, and a vague disquiet and trouble, a child's quick but ignorant sense of sadness stirred within her, for if Kath

you waiting; are you

ands, smil

after my offspring," called the Captain; "they c

me out very much if I couldn't," and Odd smiled his

yet so much duller than she and Hilda. When Hilda went out with Mr. Odd she picked up some magazines, and divided her attention between the pictures and the couples. Papa and Mrs. Marchant did not interest he

her," thought Katherine; "t

r water-color with evident delight. Hilda was silent before the great Velasquez, the Holbein drawings, the Chardin and the Corot; but as they went from picture to picture, she would look up at Odd with her confident, gentle smile, so that, after the

she said; "almost everything would be beaut

ry beds were

he half-ashamed reluctance in Hilda's eyes, "Well, not there, then, but to the river; there are even prettier places. Our boating-house is a mile from

een of the beechwoods, and Hilda made the acquaintance of the Canadian canoe and of a mile or so of riv