Miss Almeria proffered a silk duster with fingers that trembled slightly. She and Johanna Ross had been intimates in girlhood; she had found it hard to forgive the slight put upon Cyrus by her friend in leaving it with no word of explanation. She now felt that there had been extenuating circumstances. She had never thought to have Johanna dusting with her again. For some minutes they plied their delicate task in silence; then: "_My stars!_" cried Miss Johanna. She turned with shining eyes, holding up a book. "Almeria! here is 'Guy Livingstone' behind the Manila envelopes, where I dropped him twenty years ago when you wanted to burn him. Precious tome! untidy girl! Where is your housekeeping?" Her laugh rang out triumphantly; a delightful laugh, clear and bell-like as Kitty's own. Miss Almeria laughed, too. "I think you will find no dust on the volume, Johanna!" she said demurely. "I never thought it suitable for general circulation, as you are aware, but----" Miss Johanna gave her a kind glance. "But you kept it for naughty Johanna's sake! That was very sweet of you, Almy. I'll take it with me now, if you don't mind. Ah! 'I know men who would have given five years of life for the whisper that glided into his ear as he gave Miss Bellasys her candle on retiring, ten for the Parthian glance that shot its arrow home.' Now _that_ is the way to write, Almeria Bygood! Nobody writes like that nowadays." Then with an abrupt change of tone, "I wanted to ask you one or two things, Almy. You have sense, even if you don't appreciate 'Guy Livingstone.' People like my Kitty, do they, Almeria?" "Can you doubt it, Johanna? She is the idol of Cyrus. I express myself too strongly!" Miss Almeria corrected herself: "idolatry is not a--sentiment which--everybody loves her, Johanna! Who could possibly help it? She is the light of the place!" The touch of frost melted away, and Miss Almeria glowed with tenderness. "Good!" Miss Johanna nodded approbation. "She ought to be! She is a blessed little Christmas candle! And--a--about the driving, Almy! It hasn't--eh? People don't think--you know what I mean!" "Perfectly!" Miss Almeria bent her stately head in comprehension. "At first, Johanna, there were a few criticisms; only a few, and those not from persons whose opinions carry any weight in the community. In general, Kitty has had from the first the respect as well as the affection of Cyrus. Her course was unusual, but the circumstances were unusual. You need have no fear, Johanna!" "Because of course," Miss Johanna paused to straighten a calendar which was hanging awry; "of course there is no _need_ of her driving, you know, Almy!" "No need?" repeated Miss Almeria.