"Do you live next to Mr. Dinnerly in the country?" she asked.

I would have denied it if Dinnerly had not been there. As it
was, I blew my nose.

"I wonder," said Miss Milton, "what has become of Aunt Emily."

"Miss Milton," said I, "by a happy chance you have enjoyed a
luxury. You have told the man what you think of him."

"Yes," said she; "and I have only to add that he is also a
hypocrite."

Pleasant, wasn't it? Yet Mrs. Hilary says it was my fault.
That's a woman all over!



THE LITTLE WRETCH

Seeing that little Johnny Tompkins was safely out of the country,
under injunctions to make a new man of himself, and to keep that
new man, when made, at the Antipodes, I could not see anything
indiscreet in touching on the matter in the course of
conversation with Mrs. Hilary Musgrave. In point of fact, I was
curious to find out what she knew, and supposing she knew, what
she thought. So I mentioned little Johnny Tompkins.

"Oh, the little wretch!" cried Mrs. Hilary. "You know he came
here two or three times? Anybody can impose on Hilary."