"I don't know what that means," she said; "but aunt has quite taken to you. Just look at this! Isn't it extr'ordinary?—Clarence," she called over her shoulder to her cousin, "here is most likely where you saw the name this afternoon." 

 She examined the inscription framed on the bars.  "Presented to the Society by Sir Mark Douglass." 

 "No," said Clarence Mills.  "That wasn't it. My sluggish memory will arouse presently, and then I shall be able to exhibit signs of intelligence." 

 They were looking down from the terrace at the white bear in his pit, when a high voice came above the moderate tones of the crowd; Henry took Gertie's arm, and began to talk rapidly of Nansen and the North Pole, but this did not prevent her from glancing over her shoulder. The people gave way to the owner of the insistent voice, and she, after inspection through pince-nez, made bitter complaint of the clumsiness of the bear, his murky appearance, the serious consequences of indiscriminate feeding. Henry endeavoured to detach the members of his party, but they appeared enthralled by the commanding tones. 

 "I thought we should meet again," said the younger woman, addressing Henry. 

 "Miss Loriner," he said to Gertie, with signs of reluctance.  "A friend of my sister-in-law." 

 "I am Lady Douglass's companion," remarked Miss Loriner. 

 "She seems ratty about something," said Gertie. 

 "She has what they call the critical faculty," mentioned the other, with a twinkle of the eye.  "I happen to be aware of the fact." 

 Lady Douglass was looking around with the air of one searching for fresh subjects; Henry led Gertie to her, and made the introductions. Lady Douglass expressed the view that the Gardens were horribly tiring, regretted her ill-luck in visiting on a crowded afternoon.  "But no misfortune," she added wearily, "seems to escape me!" 

 It was not until they descended the steps that the group had an opportunity for forming itself. Miss Loriner, recognizing the girl's perturbation of mind, took her ahead, thus foiling the intentions of Lady Douglass; they could hear her talking of literature to Clarence Mills in a patronizing way. Gertie's cousin said resolutely, "But George Meredith never wrote a poem with that title. You are thinking of Owen Meredith."  Lady Douglass answered, with pride, that she never troubled 

 Prev. P 23/90 next