“It may be very fine,” remarked Salemina judicially, “though I cannot understand more than half of it.” “That would also be true of Browning,” I replied. “Don't you love to see great ideas looming through a mist of words?” “The words are misty enough in this case,” she said, “and I do wish you would not tell the world that I paddle in the burn, or 'twine my bree wi' tasselled broom.' I'm too old to be made ridiculous.” “Nobody will believe it,” said Francesca, appearing in the doorway. “They will know it is only Penelope's havering,” and with this undeserved scoff, she took her mashie and went golfing--not on the links, on this occasion, but in our microscopic sitting-room. It is twelve feet square, and holds a tiny piano, desk, centre-table, sofa, and chairs, but the spot between the fire-place and the table is Francesca's favourite 'putting-green.' She wishes to become more deadly in the matter of approaches, and thinks her tee-shots weak; so these two deficiencies she is trying to make good by home practice in inclement weather. She turns a tumbler on its side on the floor, and 'putts' the ball into it, or at it, as the case may be, from the opposite side of the room. It is excellent discipline, and as the tumblers are inexpensive the breakage really does not matter. Whenever Miss Grieve hears the shivering of glass, she murmurs, not without reason, 'It is not for the knowing what they will be doing next.' “Penelope, has it ever occurred to you that Elizabeth Ardmore is seriously interested in Mr. Macdonald?” Salemina propounded this question to me with the same innocence that a babe would display in placing a lighted fuse beside a dynamite bomb. Francesca naturally heard the remark,--although it was addressed to me,--pricked up her ears, and missed the tumbler by several feet. It was a simple inquiry, but as I look back upon it from the safe ground of subsequent knowledge I perceive that it had a certain amount of influence upon Francesca's history. The suggestion would have carried no weight with me for two reasons. In the first place, Salemina is far-sighted. If objects are located at some distance from her, she sees them clearly; but if they are under her very nose she overlooks them altogether, unless they are sufficiently fragrant or audible to address other senses. This physical peculiarity she carries over into her mental processes. Her impression of the Disruption movement, for example, would be lively and distinct, but her perception of a contemporary lover's quarrel (particularly if it were fought at her own apron-strings) would be singularly vague. If she suggested, therefore, that Elizabeth Ardmore was interested in Mr. Beresford, who is the rightful captive of my bow and spear, I should be perfectly calm.