“I am up to nothing,” said Mrs. Shanks; “I only know what you say; and I don’t believe Mr. Tredgold would give his daughter and only heiress to either of them--if Stella is cut off, poor thing----” “Stella will not be cut off,” said Miss Mildmay. “Mark my words. He’ll go back to her sooner or later; and what a good thing if Katherine had someone to stand by her before then!” “If you saw two straws lying together in the road you would think there was something between them,” cried Mrs. Shanks, yawning more than ever. “Oh, Ruth Mildmay, fancy our being brought out on a cold night and having to pay for the Midge and all that, and nothing more in it than to wag our heads at each other about Katherine Tredgold’s marriage, if it ever comes off!” “Let me take you in to supper,” said the rector, approaching with his arm held out. And then Mrs. Shanks felt that there was compensation in all things. She was taken in one of the first, she said afterwards; not the very first--she could not expect that, with Mrs. Barry of Northcote present, and General Skelton’s wife. The army and the landed gentry naturally were first. But Miss Mildmay did not follow till long after--till the doctor found her still standing in a corner, with that grim look of suppressed scorn and satirical spectatorship with which the proud neglected watch the vulgar stream pressing before them. “Have you not been _in_ yet?” the doctor said. “No,” said Miss Mildmay. “You see, I am not young to go with the girls, nor married to go with the ladies who are at the head of society. I only stand and look on.” “That is just my case,” said Dr. Burnet. “I am not young to go with the girls, nor married to disport myself with Mrs. Barry or such magnates. Let us be jolly together, for we are both in the same box.” “Don’t you let that girl slip through your fingers,” said Miss Mildmay solemnly, as she went “in” on his arm. “Will she ever come within reach of my fingers?” the doctor said, shaking his head. “You are not old, like that Stanley man; you’ve got no family dragging you back. I should not stand by if I were you, and let her be seduced into this house as the stepmother!” said Miss Mildmay with energy. “Don’t talk like that in the man’s house. He is a good man, and we are just going to eat his sandwiches.” “If there are any left,” Miss Mildmay said. CHAPTER XXIV.