Gladys received this remark with rather an indignant look.

’Mina, that is not like you.  You only assume such hard-heartedness.  If you saw her face as I saw it, it must haunt you.  Her eyes were quite wild and despairing, I cannot forget them.’

‘Oh, I think you exaggerate,’ said Mina lightly.  ’I saw her very well.  It was the usual calm, rather insolent stare these girls give.  I do not think she looked either very ill or very desperate, and she seemed comfortably clothed.  What do you think, Clara?’

‘Oh, I didn’t see her,’ answered Clara, with a slight yawn.  ’Yes, Gladys dear, I do think you worry too much over things.  What can that girl possibly be to you?  Of course we are very sorry for her; still, if she is in trouble, she has brought it on herself.  It will never do for you to mix yourself up with all sorts and conditions.  I say, wasn’t Sims Reeves heavenly to-night, and “Come into the garden, Maud,” more entrancing than ever?  To think what immense power that man wields in his voice!  He can do with his audience as he likes.  He was in splendid form.’

Gladys remained silent.  The concert had given her a rare pleasure, but it was obliterated at the moment by the incident of the face at the carriage window.

’We had better get to bed, girls, or mamma will be sending Katherine to us presently,’ said Mina, as she picked herself up from the rug.  ’Good-night, dear, and don’t worry.  If you wrinkle up your brows like that over every trifle, you will be old before your time.’

Gladys faintly smiled, and bade them good-night.  She ‘worried’ a good deal more than either of them imagined.

’I say, Clara, I do wish we could induce Gladys to leave that girl alone,’ Mina said to her sister, as she threw off her evening gown and began to brush out her hair.  ’I have the oddest feeling about it, just as if it would make mischief.  Haven’t you?’

’No; but you needn’t try to dissuade Gladys from anything she has set her mind upon.  I never saw anybody so “sot,” as Artemus Ward would say; she’s positive to the verge of obstinacy.  But what makes you have any feeling in the matter I can’t imagine; you never even saw the girl in your life.’

’No, but I feel interested in her, all the same.  And, I say’—­

She broke off there rather suddenly, and meditatively brushed her hair for a few seconds in silence.

’Did you notice that afternoon we had the tea, after all the people were gone, you remember that Cousin George spilled the contents of a cup on mamma’s gown?’

’Yes, I remember that, of course, but what can it have to do with Gladys and this Hepburn girl?’

’Did nothing occur to you in connection with his unusual awkwardness?  Don’t you remember what we were talking of at the time?’

‘No,’ replied Clara, and she paused with her bodice half pulled over her lovely shoulders, and a slow wonder on her beautiful, placid face.