She who had for a couple of years past been slighted by the fashionable folk of Saltinville, while Claire had been received everywhere, felt in the new flush of the success she had won a kind of triumph over an unfortunate sister, who would now, she knew, be socially ostracised; and in the plenitude of her own wealth of position she had told herself that she could afford to go and call upon the fallen rival, and, under the guise of politeness, see for herself how she bore her trouble, and assume a consolatory _role_ that she told herself she did not feel. But Cora Dean, ill-educated and badly brought up, violent in her passions and quick to dislike a rival, had a very kindly woman's heart within her breast; and as soon as she had formally saluted Mrs Barclay, and had seen the sad, grave face that met hers, ready to suffer insult if it were offered in the guise of friendship, a change came over her, the tender heart leaped, and in full remembrance of their last parting, she advanced quickly and kissed Claire warmly. There was no disguising the tears in her eyes, and they were infectious, for Mrs Barclay, whose feathers had been rising fast and her tongue sharpening into a point, heaved a tremendous sigh as she jumped up and exclaimed: "It's very little I know of you, Miss Dean, and--I'm a plain woman--I never thought I should like you; but if you wouldn't mind, my dear!" It was a kiss of peace, and Mrs Barclay added another that was very loud and very warm. "And her saying that she had no friends," she exclaimed. "Pooh!" Claire darted a grateful look at both, and then began to wince and shrink as Mrs Barclay, in all well-meaning, went on talking from one to the other with the most voluble of tongues. "I declare," she cried, "as I said to my Jo-si-ah, there's no end to the nasty scandals talked in this miserable town." "Pray say no more, Mrs Barclay," cried Claire; "I am so grateful to you both for coming here, but--" "I won't say much, my dear, but I must tell Miss Dean, or I shan't be able to bear myself. What we want here is a great high tide to come all over the place and wash it clean." "Why, we should be drowned, too, Mrs Barclay," said Cora, laughing. "I hope not, my dear, for I'm no lover of scandal; but do you know, they actually have had the impudence to say that my dear Claire here has been seen at her back door talking to a common soldier." Claire tried to control herself, but her eyes would stray to Cora Dean's and rest there as if fascinated. "When the reason is," continued the visitor, as Claire was asking herself should she not boldly avow her connection, "the reason is that she has been seen talking to her brother, who is not a common soldier, but an officer. What do you think of that?" Cora turned to her, smiled, and said: "I can believe in the Saltinville people saying anything ill-natured for the sake of petty gossip. We had much to contend against when we came."