matter?--she was quite good enough for him.'

At every moment a new Cecilia was revealing herself, the existence of
whom Alice had not even suspected in the old; and as she hurried home
she wondered if the minds of the other girls were the same as they were
at school. Olive? She could see but little change in her sister; and May
she had scarcely spoken to since they left school; Violet she hadn't met
since they parted at Athenry for their different homes. But Cecilia--She
entered the house still thinking of her, and heard Olive telling her
mother that Captain Hibbert had admired her new hat.

'He told me that I'd be the handsomest girl at the Drawing-Room.'

'And what did you say, dear?'

'I asked him how he knew. Was that right?'

'Quite right; and what did he say then?'

'He said, because he had never seen anybody so handsome, and as he had
seen everybody in London, he supposed--I forget the exact words, but
they were very nice; I am sure he admired my new hat; but you--you
haven't told me how you liked it. Do you think I should wear it down on
my eyes, or a bit back?'

'I think it very becoming as it is; but tell me more about Captain
Hibbert.'

'He told me he was coming to meet us at Mass. You know he is a Roman
Catholic?'