likeness as for the painted one. All kindly did their best to make the
pale girl feel at home, and their cordial manner seemed to warm and
draw her out; for soon she put off her sad, meek air and entertained
them with gay anecdotes of her life in Paris, her travels in Russia
when governess in Prince Jermadoff's family, and all manner of witty
stories that kept them interested and merry long after the meal was
over. In the middle of an absorbing adventure, Coventry came in,
nodded lazily, lifted his brows, as if surprised at seeing the
governess there, and began his breakfast as if the ennui of another
day had already taken possession of him. Miss Muir stopped short, and
no entreaties could induce her to go on.

"Another time I will finish it, if you like. Now Miss Bella and I should
be at our books." And she left the room, followed by her pupil, taking
no notice of the young master of the house, beyond a graceful bow in
answer to his careless nod.

"Merciful creature! she goes when I come, and does not make life
unendurable by moping about before my eyes. Does she belong to the
moral, the melancholy, the romantic, or the dashing class, Ned?" said
Gerald, lounging over his coffee as he did over everything he attempted.

"To none of them; she is a capital little woman. I wish you had seen her
tame Hector this morning." And Edward repeated his story.

"Not a bad move on her part," said Coventry in reply. "She must be an
observing as well as an energetic young person, to discover your chief
weakness and attack it so soon. First tame the horse, and then the
master. It will be amusing to watch the game, only I shall be under the
painful necessity of checkmating you both, if it gets serious."