denouncing way; poor little beauty was her cat's-paw this morning."

"O Tom, how you talk! She is nobody's cat's-paw. I can tell you she does
her own thinking and acting too. If you'd just go and do something
hateful, or impose on somebody,--one of the waiters, for
instance,--you'd see her blaze up, fast enough."

"Ah! philanthropic?"

Clara looked puzzled. "I don't know; we have some girls here who are all
the time talking about benevolence, and charity, and the like, and they
have a little sewing-circle to make up things to be sold for the church
mission, or something,--I don't know just what; but Francesca won't go
near it."

"Democratic, then, maybe."

"No, she isn't, not a bit. She's a thorough little aristocrat: so
exclusive she has nothing to say to the most of us. I wonder she ever
took me for a friend, though I do love her dearly."

Tom looked down at his bright little sister, and thought the wonder was
not a very great one, but didn't say so; reserving his gallantries for
somebody else's sister.

"You seem greatly taken with her, Tom."

"I own the soft impeachment."

"Well, you'll have a fair chance, for she's coming home with me. I wrote