“Oh, Kate, why should parents be so hard,” she said, shedding a few tears--“and so hypocritical!” she exclaimed, rousing herself again--“pretending to be ready to do everything, and then doing nothing!” “Oh, hush, Stella!” cried Katherine, restraining her; “there is nothing you have wanted till now that papa has not done.” “What!” cried the girl indignantly. “Diamonds and such wretched things.” She made a gesture as if to pull something from her throat and throw it on the floor, though the diamonds, naturally, at this hour in the morning, were not there. “But the first thing I really want--the only thing--oh, let me go, Kate, let me go and ask him what he means!” “Wait a little,” said Katherine--“wait a little; it may not be as bad as we think; it may not be bad at all. Let us go down as if nothing had happened. Perhaps Sir Charles has only--gone--to fetch something.” “Like that?” cried Stella; and then a something of the ridiculous in the drooping figure came across her volatile mind. He was so like, so very like, that dog with his tail between his legs. She burst out into a laugh. “Poor Charlie, oh, poor Charlie! he looked exactly like--but I will pay papa for this,” the girl cried. “Oh, not now,” said Katherine. “Remember, he is an old man--we must try not to cross him but to soothe him. He may have been vexed to think of losing you, Stella. He may have been--a little sharp; perhaps to try to--break it off--for a time.” “And you think he might succeed, I shouldn’t wonder,” Stella cried, tossing her head high. To tell the truth, Katherine was by no means sure that he might not succeed. She had not a great confidence in the depth of the sentiment which connected her sister and Sir Charles. She believed that on one side or the other that tie might be broken, and that it would be no great harm. But she made no reply to Stella’s question. She only begged her to have patience a little, to make no immediate assault upon her father. “You know the doctor said he must be very regular--and not be disturbed--in his meals and things.”