"Quite smiled!" said Miss Twettenham, severely. "I saw her smile at him; and then, when he lifted his hat, she raised her eyes and stared at him in a haughty, astonished way, as if she had never given him the slightest encouragement." "It is very shocking," murmured Miss Maria. "But I think she blushed a little," remonstrated Miss Julia, as if to try and find some slight extenuating circumstance for the benefit of the most handsome pupil at the Firlawns. "That I deny!" exclaimed Miss Twettenham. "It was only the reflection from the lining of her sunshade! I repeat it, sisters; I am very--very glad she is going away!" "So am I," said Miss Julia; "and yet I am sorry, for she is a very beautiful girl, and I am sure she is affectionate." "What is beauty without ballast, my dear Julia? or affection that goes floating about like a gossamer without a stay?" said Miss Twettenham severely, and her sisters sighed. "I consider it most reprehensible. And now I think we will have her down." The three grey, elderly ladies seated themselves in three stiff-backed, uneasy chairs, wool-worked by former pupils; and as soon as they had settled themselves in severe attitudes, Miss Twettenham gave a long wool-worked bell-pull a decided tug. The bell was answered by a quiet, elderly manservant in a neat livery. "Send word to Fraulein Webling's room that we wish to see Miss Perowne and Miss Stuart," said Miss Twettenham; and after sitting in frigid silence for a few minutes, the two young ladies were ushered into the presence of the principals. There was a marked contrast between the girls, one being tall, with a finely-shaped oval face, dark hair, and peculiarly lustrous eyes, fringed by long black lashes; the other decidedly _petite_, with the clear skin, blue-grey eyes, and fair hair suggestive of the North. The dark girl was perfectly composed, and walked over the well-worn carpet with an easy, graceful carriage, and a look of languid indifference, far from being shared by her companion, whose cheeks were flushed as she darted an uneasy look at the three sisters in turn. The young ladies evidently expected to be asked to take chairs, but the words were not forthcoming; and after advancing a few paces, they stopped short in the midst of a chilling silence, the three sisters sitting very upright with mittened hands crossed in a peculiar way about the region of the waist of their old-fashioned dresses. The dark girl, after a languid glance round, gave her shapely shoulders a slight shrug before half closing her eyes, and gazing through the tall, blank window at a scaly araucaria upon the lawn. At last Miss Twettenham spoke: "Miss Stuart," she began, in chilling tones and with great deliberation, "speaking for myself and sisters, I must say that I sadly regret that we are under the necessity of drawing you into the discussion that is about to take place."