In truth the beauty of this fair creature was of a rare type, and may well excuse a moment of our time spent in its consideration. It did not consist in the _fact_ that she had eyes, nose, mouth, chin, hair, ears, it consisted in their arrangement. In true beauty, more depends upon right location and judicious distribution of feature than upon multiplicity of them. So also as regards color. The very combination of colors which in a volcanic irruption would add beauty to a landscape might detach it from a girl. Such was Gwendolen Sellers. The family circle being completed by Gwendolen’s arrival, it was decreed that the official mourning should now begin; that it should begin at six o’clock every evening, (the dinner hour,) and end with the dinner. “It’s a grand old line, major, a sublime old line, and deserves to be mourned for, almost royally; almost imperially, I may say. Er—Lady Gwendolen—but she’s gone; never mind; I wanted my Peerage; I’ll fetch it myself, presently, and show you a thing or two that will give you a realizing idea of what our house is. I’ve been glancing through Burke, and I find that of William the Conqueror’s sixty-four natural ch—my dear, would you mind getting me that book? It’s on the escritoire in our boudoir. Yes, as I was saying, there’s only St. Albans, Buccleugh and Grafton ahead of us on the list—all the rest of the British nobility are in procession behind us. Ah, thanks, my lady. Now then, we turn to William, and we find—letter for XYZ? Oh, splendid—when’d you get it?” “Last night; but I was asleep before you came, you were out so late; and when I came to breakfast Miss Gwendolen—well, she knocked everything out of me, you know—” “Wonderful girl, wonderful; her great origin is detectable in her step, her carriage, her features—but what does he _say?_ Come, this is exciting.” “I haven’t read it—er—Rossm—Mr. Rossm—er—” “M’lord! Just cut it short like that. It’s the English way. I’ll open it. Ah, now let’s see.” A. TO YOU KNOW WHO. Think I know you. Wait ten days. Coming to Washington. The excitement died out of both men’s faces. There was a brooding silence for a while, then the younger one said with a sigh: “Why, _we_ can’t wait ten days for the money.” “No—the man’s unreasonable; we are down to the bed rock, financially speaking.” “If we could explain to him in some way, that we are so situated that time is of the utmost importance to us—” “Yes—yes, that’s it—and so if it would be as convenient for him to come at once it would be a great accommodation to us, and one which we—which we—which we—wh—well, which we should sincerely appreciate—” “That’s it—and most gladly reciprocate—” “Certainly—that’ll fetch him. Worded right, if he’s a _man_—got any of the _feelings_ of a man, _sympathies_ and all that, he’ll be here inside of twenty-four hours. Pen and paper—come, we’ll get right at it.”