"Art simulates many charming things of nature," remarked Mrs. Thorpe, and she slyly glanced at Hazel. The girl almost laughed; but her gentle breeding came to the rescue, and she bore Rutley's stare with admirable nonchalance, until Mr. Corway, feeling a little amused at Lord Beauchamp's monopoly of the girl's attention answered Mrs. Thorpe: "Yet nature cannot be excelled in anything that is beautiful in art." For which he received from the girl a smile that thrilled him with a conviction that no lord, no croesus, nor commoner, could dethrone him from her heart. The ordeal in which Hazel found herself under Rutley's disconcerting stare, was terminated by Mrs. Thorpe. "Your Lordship must be familiar with many beautiful things of nature. By the way, I want you to visit our conservatory. We have some choice exotics there from the Orinoco." Rutley removed his monocle, and turned to Mrs. Thorpe. "My secretary obtained some rare specimens in Bogota, nevertheless I shall consider it a pleasure to visit your collection, for indeed it must be superb, judging from such natural beauty already in evidence." "You are coming, too," said Mrs. Thorpe, turning to Hazel and Mr. Corway. "Thanks!--that is,--we shall join you presently," stammered Mr. Corway, looking at Hazel with a half smile. Mrs. Thorpe looked amused as she said: "Oh, very well," and then, halting on the threshold, turned again and added: "Hazel, dear, don't forget the conservatory." Rutley and Mrs. Thorpe had scarcely gone when Hazel exclaimed: "Well! I'm waiting for you." "Of course," Corway replied haltingly; then, after a pause, "Hazel!" "Miss Brooke--please," she corrected, with a tantalizing smile. "Oh--confound it. Hazel"--he began again. "Are you coming?" she interrupted, moving away, but with an aggravating smile playing fitfully about her face. Whereupon he bowed low, with mock formality, approached her offering his arm. "I crave the honor." The girl placed her hand in his arm with a promptness that flushed his face, but immediately blanched it with the teasing remark: "It's to be only as far as the conservatory, you know." "And from there around the grounds," he replied tenderly. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "You insist on going the rounds with me? Oh, very well!" and they laughed together. Shortly after they had gone, the portieres of an entrance to the left were cautiously parted and a young girl peeped in, then entered the room. She was the embodiment of youth, happiness and expectancy. She was dressed in the whitest of white muslin. A narrow band of magenta-colored silk encircled her slender waist, the long, loose ends of the bow flowing almost to her feet, while her mass of raven black hair drawn back from her fair white forehead, and coiled at the back of her shapely head lent a queenly grace to a divinely moulded form.