"What else do you suppose she is? She comes over people, and gets a stock of invitations on hand, and goes to them between times. You should hear the trouble there is about her dresses, that she may make a good appearance. And how she does it I can't think: they don't tell me their contrivances. Mrs. Smith must give her some--I am sure of it--which papa has to pay for; and Sophonisba goes in trust for others." "She was always dressed well down with us." "Of course she was. Whitney Hall was her great-card place; but the time for the visit was so long before it was fixed, she thought it had all dropped through. It came just right: just when she was turned out of Lady Augustus Difford's. Helen Whitney had promised it a long while before." "I know; when they were schoolfellows at Miss Lakon's." "They were not schoolfellows. Sophonisba was treated as the rest, but she was only improving pupil. She gave her services, learnt of some of the masters, and paid nothing. How old do you think she is?" broke off Miss Trot. "About twenty." "She was six-and-twenty last birthday; and they say she will look like a child till she's six-and-thirty. I call it a shame for a young woman of that age to be doing nothing for herself, but to be living on strangers: and papa and I are nothing else to her." "How old are you?" I could not help asking. "Fifteen; nearly sixteen. People take me to be younger, because I am short, and it vexes me. They would not think me young if they knew how I feel. Oh, I can tell you it is a sharpening thing for your papa to marry again, and to find yourself put down in your own home." "Has Miss Chalk any engagement now?" "She has not had an engagement all this year, and now it's April! I don't believe she looks after one. She pretends to teach me--while she's waiting, she says; but it's all a farce; I won't learn of her. I heard her tell Mr. Everty I was a horrid child. Fancy that!" "Who is Mr. Everty?" "Papa's head-clerk. He is a gentleman, you know, and Sophonisba thinks great things of him. Ah, I could tell something, if I liked! but she put me on my honour. Oh, she's a sly one! Just now, she is all her time at the Whitneys', red-hot for it. You are not going? Stay to luncheon." "I must go; Miss Deveen will be waiting for me. You can deliver the parcel, please, with Mrs. Todhetley's message. I will call in to see Mrs. Smith another day." "And to see me too?" came the quick retort. "Yes, of course." "Now, mind, you can't break your word. I shall say it is me you are coming to call upon; they think I am nobody in this house. Ask for _Miss_ Smith when you come. Good-bye, Johnny Ludlow!" She never stirred as I shook hands; she seemed never to have stirred hand or foot throughout the interview. But, as I opened the door, there came an odd sort of noise, and I turned to look what it was. She. Hastening to cross the room, with a crutch, to ring the bell! And I saw that she was both lame and deformed.