Just then tea came up, and, rising lazily, he began to make himself useful to his cousin Clara, murmuring some nonsense to her over the tea-table, which deepened the lovely light in her eyes. He enjoyed seeing the delicate colour deepening in her face, and excused himself for bringing it there on the ground of cousinship. But when he carried her cup to Gladys, he remained by her side, while Julia entertained the other two with a description of the bride's drawing-room and reception gown. 'It's an awful romance, Miss Graham, upon my word it is,' began George, standing with his back to the others, and looking down most impressively into the girl's face,--'your story, I mean, of course. Uncle Tom has told us how you, the heiress of Bourhill, have lived in the slums--positively the slums, wasn't it?' Now, though his words were not particularly well chosen or in good taste, his manner was so impressively sympathetic that Gladys felt insensibly influenced by it. And he _was_ very handsome, and it was quite pleasant to have him standing there, looking as if there was nobody in the world half so interesting to him as herself. For the very first time in her life Gladys felt the subtle charm of flattery steal into her soul. 'I suppose you would call it the slums,' she answered. 'My uncle lived in Colquhoun Street.' 'Don't know it, but I guess it was bad enough, and for you, too, who look fit for a palace. And did you live there all alone with the old miser?' 'Don't call him that, please; he was very kind to me, and I cannot bear to hear him hardly spoken of, she said quickly. 'There were three of us, and we were very happy, though the place was so small and poor.' 'Who was the third?' He managed to convey into his tone just sufficient aggressiveness as to suggest that he resented the idea of a third person sharing anything with her. 'Walter Hepburn, my uncle's assistant.' Had she looked at him then, she must have been struck by the strange expression, coupled with a sudden flash, which passed over his face. 'Ah yes, just so. Well, I'm glad the fates have been kind, and brought you at last where there's a chance of being appreciated,' he said carelessly. 'Nice little girls my cousins--awfully good-hearted little souls, though Mina's tongue is a trifle too sharp. Yes, miss, I'm warning Miss Graham against you,' he said when Mina uttered his name in a warning note. 'Now, to punish you, I shall tell you my latest anecdote,' Mina said; and, heedless of the half-laughing, half-eager protest of Gladys, she related the incident of the portrait, with a little embellishment which made him appear in rather a ridiculous light. In the midst of the laughter which the relation provoked, Mrs. Fordyce entered the room. [Illustration] CHAPTER XVIII. 'THE DAYS THAT ARE NOT.'