"It didn't suit me," said Toby, apologetically; "I'm far too gay for a curate. It's a mistake putting a square peg into a round hole, you know; and I make a much better pressman than a preacher." "It is a curious thing we never met you, Mr. Clendon," observed Mrs. Valpy, heavily; "but we have only been at 'The Terraces' for two years." "Oh, and I've been away from the parental roof for five or six years. I do not wonder at never meeting you, but how strange we should meet here. Coincidences occur in real life as well as in novels, I see." "Mr. Maxwell told me he met a man in London the other day whom he had last seen in Japan," said Kaituna, smiling. "Maxwell is a wandering Jew--an engineering Cain." "Hush! hush!" said Mrs. Valpy, shocked like a good church-woman, at any reference to the Bible in light conversation. "Mr. Maxwell is a very estimable young man." "I called him Cain in a figurative sense only," replied Toby, coolly; "but if you object to that name, let us call him Ulysses." "Among the sirens," finished Kaituna, mischievously. Tommy caught the allusion, and laughed rudely. Confident in her own superiority regarding beauty, she was scornful of the attempts of the so-called sirens to secure the best-looking man in the place, so took a great delight in drawing into her own net any masculine fish that was likely to be angled for by any other girl. She called it fun, the world called it flirtation, and her enemies called it coquetry; and Toby Clendon, although not her enemy, possibly agreed with the appropriateness of the term. But then he was her lover; and lovers are discontented if they don't get the object of their affections all to themselves. "The sirens!" repeated Miss Valpy, scornfully. "What, with voices like geese? What humbug! Let us take Archie Maxwell Ulysses away from the sirens, Kaituna." "No, no, don't do that!" said Kaituna with a sudden rush of colour; "it's a shame." "What! depriving them of their big fish? Not at all. It's greedy of them to be so selfish. I'll call him. Mr. Maxwell!" "It's very chilly here," said Kaituna, rising to her feet. "Mr. Clendon, my shawl, please. Thank you I'm going inside." "Because of Mr. Maxwell?" asked Miss Valpy, maliciously. "No. I'm expecting some letters from Mr. Dombrain. Oh, here is Mr. Maxwell. _Au revoir_," and Miss Pethram walked quickly away towards the house. Maxwell having extricated himself from the company of the sirens, who looked after their late captive with vengeful eyes, saw Kaituna depart, and hesitated between following her or obeying the invitation of Miss Valpy. His heart said "Go there," the voice of Tommy said "Come here," and the unfortunate young man hesitated which to obey. The lady saw his hesitation, and, purposely to vex Mr. Clendon, settled the question at once. "Mr. Maxwell, come here. I want you to play lawn-tennis." "Certainly, Miss Valpy," said Maxwell, with sulky civility.