"Nell, I believe you are nervous! You're not? Very well; then stand up

and look me in the face, and say 'Mesopotamia' seven times!"

It was the night of the dinner party at the Hall, at which, as Dick put

it, she was to be "on view" as the fiancée of my lord of Angleford, and

Nell had come down to the little sitting room dressed and ready to

start.

Dick and Falconer were also ready, for Falconer had recovered

sufficiently to be present, and had voluntarily offered to take his

violin with him.

"Don't tease her, Dick," said Falconer, with the gentle, protective air

Advertisement..

of an elder brother. "She does not look a bit nervous."

"But I am!" said Nell, laughing a little tremulously; "I am--just a

little bit!"

"And no wonder!" said Falconer promptly. "It is rather an ordeal she has

to go through; to know that everybody is regarding you critically. But

she has nothing to be afraid of."

"Now, there I differ with you," said Dick argumentatively. "If I were in

Nell's place I should feel that everybody was thinking: 'What on earth

did Lord Angleford see in that slip of a girl to fall in love with?' Ah,

would you?" as Nell, laughing and blushing, caught up the sofa cushion.

"You throw it and rumple my best hair, if you dare."

Nell put the cushion down reluctantly.

"It's a mean shame; you know I can't fight now."

"Though you have your war paint on," said Falconer, looking at her with

a half-sad, half-proud admiration and affection.

"It's not much of a war paint," said Nell, but contentedly enough. "It's

the dress I made for a party at Wolfer House--Dick, you know that the

Wolfers have had to go? Lord Wolfer's brother was ill. I am so sorry!

She would have made me feel less nervous, and rather braver. Yes, I'm

sorry! It's an old dress, and I'm afraid Drake's jewels must feel quite

ashamed of it," and she glanced at the pearls which he had given her a

day or two ago, and which gleamed softly on her white, girlish neck and

arms.

"You hear her complaining, Falconer!" said Dick, with mock sternness and

reproval. "You'd find it hard to believe that I offered to remain at

home and pop my dress suit, that she might buy herself fitting raiment

for this show. Oh, worse than a serpent's tooth, it is to have an

ungrateful sister!"




Most Popular