“Bell!”

The hot colour surged up all over the girl’s face and throat; after that one word, she stood speechless. Her model Mr Everitt, the painter—the great painter, as she called him! It was impossible, impossible! But Bell’s amusement was intense, “I don’t know that I should have told you yet, if you had not suspected something in that innocent little way of yours. Still, it was almost more than I could keep to myself; and oh, Kitty, imagine the situation when last night I met him at a dinner-party!”

But Kitty did not laugh.

“Bell,” she said gravely, “I can’t believe it. I am sure you must be making some extraordinary mistake.”

“My dear, I am quite, quite certain. Why, even my father, who only saw him here yesterday, fidgeted all last night about some likeness. I didn’t say a word. It wouldn’t do with papa.”

“It will not do with any of us,” said Kitty, with spirit.

“You won’t tell your father?”

“I shall tell mother, and she can act as she likes.”

“Take care,” said Bell, more seriously. “You don’t want a regular fuss to grow out of a bit of absurdity. What has he done?”

“He has come here in a false position and under false pretences. I think it dreadful. What could make him behave so?”

“Shall I tell you what I believe? That it was laziness or good-nature. I dare say he forgot all about the model, and then was afraid you would be awfully disappointed. Mrs Marchmont said so much about it. It is all over now, and remember, he did his utmost to get out of coming to-day.”

“Mother must judge.”

“Well, I think you are extremely hard on the poor man. You would not have liked it at all if you had waited through yesterday morning and had no model. I am sure he was very uncomfortable himself.”

“And that was the reason he stood so badly!” cried Kitty. “I hope he was uncomfortable.”

“Kitty,” said Bell earnestly, “if I were you I would say nothing about it. You don’t know what mischief you may set going. It is over and done with; he is not coming again, and if you appear to remain in ignorance, you will be in a far more dignified position than if our fathers bring a clatter about his ears. If he 

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