home, and it's better for all that we should part. I'm just
two-and-twenty--do I look older? I haven't learnt to do anything,
and I suppose I shall never need to.'

'Do you wish to see _much_ society?' inquired Mrs. Mumford, who was
thinking rapidly, 'or should you prefer a few really nice people?
I'm afraid I don't quite understand yet whether you want society of
the pleasure-seeking kind, or--'

She left the alternative vague. Miss Derrick again reflected for a
moment before abruptly declaring herself.

'I feel sure that your friends are the kind I want to know. At all
events, I should like to try. The great thing is to get away from
home and see how things look.'

They laughed together. Emmeline, after a little more talk, offered
to take her visitor over the house, and Miss Derrick had loud praise
for everything she saw.

'What I like about you,' she exclaimed of a sudden, as they stood
looking from a bedroom window on to the garden, 'is that you don't
put on any--you know what I mean. People seem to me to be generally
either low and ignorant, or so high and mighty there's no getting on
with them at all. You're just what I wanted to find. Now I must go
and send mother to see you.'

Emmeline protested against this awkward proceeding. Why should not
both come together and have a cup of tea? If it were desired, Miss
Derrick could step into the garden whilst her mother said whatever