chance, my dear, your great chance in life! Go--go! Don't, for heaven's
sake, keep her waiting."

Louise went down. In her most affable and gracious way she approached
the visitor and said:

"It is very nice of you to call upon me. I am _so_ glad to meet Miss Von
Taer." Diana, passing conversational nothings with the young girl, was
pleased by her appearance and self-possession. This aspirant for social
honors was fresh, fair and attractive, with a flow of small talk at her
tongue's end.

"Really," thought the fastidious visitor, "this one, at least, will do
me no discredit. If she is a fair sample of the others we shall get
along very nicely In this enterprise."

To Louise she said, before going:

"I'm to have an evening, the nineteenth. Will you assist me to receive?
Now that we are acquainted I wish to see more of you, my dear, and I
predict we shall get along famously together."

The girl's head swam. Help Miss Von Taer to receive! Such an honor had
been undreamed of an hour ago. But she held her natural agitation under
good control and only a round red spot Upon each cheek betrayed her
inward excitement as she prettily accepted the invitation. Beneath their
drooping lashes Diana's sagacious eyes read the thoughts of the girl
quite accurately. Miss Von Taer enjoyed disconcerting anyone in any way,
and Louise was so simple and unsophisticated that she promised to afford
considerable amusement in the future.