“True, child, true,” he said, taking her white-gloved hand and laying it upon his arm, while he cast a dark look upon his niece for her cowardly attack. “Come, we will go at once;” and with a formal inclination to Mrs. Richards and her daughter, but with an angry gleam in his eyes, he led Star from the room, shutting the door, with no gentle sound, after them. “Did you ever hear anything like it!” Mrs. Richards said, hopelessly, after they had gone. “No, indeed; and it is just as you suspected—he was _playing_ poverty all the time,” Josephine answered. “Oh, if I could only have known it!” groaned her mother, to whom the calamity appeared to grow more appalling every moment. “He makes a perfect fool of himself over that girl,” snapped Josephine, ill-naturedly. “Just think of the amount of money it must have cost to deck her out to-night.” “I am going back to our hotel,” Mrs. Richards said, rising, with a desperate air. “I am not going to stay here to see her play the fine lady and crow over us.” “I’m ready to go. I’ve had enough of this thing, and I never did like the —— House very well, anyway,” replied her daughter, in no amiable tones. CHAPTER XXVIII. RESCUED FROM A HORRIBLE FATE. If Mrs. Richards had conducted herself according to her own inclination, she would have left Newport at once. But she was unwilling that Mr. Rosevelt or Star should think that she had run away from them, or that she was heart-broken over the disclosures which her uncle had made to her. Besides, Newport was full of wealthy and fashionable people, and among them several eligible young gentlemen, whose acquaintance, for Josephine’s sake, she was desirous of cultivating; and surely she was not going to sacrifice all these advantages, and leave the field clear for Star to win even greater victories. No; she would stay, and she resolved she would make things just as uncomfortable for the young girl as possible, while Josephine should be made to shine with all the splendor of which their means, and Mr. Richards’ credit, were capable. But all the proud woman’s efforts were of no avail, for our fair heroine had created a sensation which threatened to turn the heads and lead captive the hearts of every unmarried man, at least, in Newport. A week passed quickly by, and then Grace Meredith and her brother arrived at the watering-place, and immediately attached themselves to Mr. Rosevelt and Star by mutual consent; and many envious looks were bestowed upon the dark, handsome stranger, who appeared to assume the right of acting as escort to the two beautiful girls upon every occasion.