of the feminine character. Alas! too late; half the women in London were jealous of her before Carrie was even distantly aware of it. She had smilingly accepted flowers and attention from many a man before it occurred to her that other women might be wanting them instead. ‘Just singe your wings, my dear butterfly,’ said Phil, ‘then you will understand what the candle is.’ ‘Philip, it must be from your father you take such base views of human nature,’ said Carrie. ‘For certainly you have not lived long enough yourself to learn such views. ’Tis not my fault that I am good-looking, and I do not believe for a moment that other women dislike me for it.’ ‘Wait—ah, just wait, Carrie. I agree with you that they do not dislike you for it—_hate_ is the word.’ ‘Phil, I am ashamed to hear my husband say such things,’ said Carrie, though she laughed in spite of herself. I have said that Carrie liked and trusted all men; but with one exception—she could not abide the sight of Simon Prior. ‘I cannot say what it is, Phil,’ she said one day, ‘but to speak with Mr. Prior doth turn me sick. Pray, my dearest, is he a great friend? Could you not intimate to him that he visits my drawing-room too frequently?’ Prior had certainly got into a strange habit of haunting the house in St. James’ Square, considering how very lukewarm a reception he always received there. Carrie was one of those fortunate women who find it quite impossible to be anything except pleasant to every one. She would sit, smiling and charming, beside Simon Prior, while all the time she loathed the sound of his voice. ‘Do not be so pleasant to the man, Carrie,’ Phil suggested; and Carrie in genuine amazement opened her blue eyes widely:— ‘Philip, I was most discourteous to him but yesterday! Twice he hinted at his wish to accompany me on my airing, and each time I took no notice of his remark.’ ‘But you smiled all the time, and seemed merely not to have noticed the hint, Carrie—instead of appearing purposely to ignore it.’ ‘I tried my best; in honesty, Phil, I tried my best to be disagreeable,’ sighed Carrie, ‘so you must do it for me if I cannot manage it.’ Phil had no scruples. He waited for Prior to call again, and then set about finding some matter to differ upon; but Prior himself brought about the dispute finally. ‘I should like a word with you, Philip,’ he said, as he rose to say good-bye, and Phil, with a quite perceptible shrug, led the way into the library. ‘I wondered—not to beat about the bush, for frankness between friends is a good thing—I wondered, in fact, Philip, if you could accommodate me with a small loan—some £20, or perhaps less; I happen to be very much pressed just now; I—in fact, ’twould be a great boon.’ ‘No,’ said Phil curtly; ‘I fear I cannot oblige you.’ ‘Oh, I am sure you can. Your father would advance me the money to-morrow were he in town, and I look upon you as his representative,’ began Prior.