a suggestive motion of his sister's towards Miss Kendal.

"I should think it so dull," said that young lady, tossing her head, "to
be engaged so long before. _I_ do not intend to decide till the day."

"What shall you keep all your admirers in suspense till the last moment?"
said Bertie, with a covert sneer, for he was angry at her slighting
behaviour to Bluebell. "What a scramble there will be!"

Miss Kendal was not altogether satisfied with the tone of the remark, so
she commenced tying on her cloud, observing sharply, "Well, mamma, we
shall be benighted if we stay any longer."

Bertie dutifully attended them to the sleigh, and won the elder lady's
heart by the skill with which he tucked round her the fur robes and the
parting grace of his bow.

She was about to purr out some commendation, when--"What a bear that man
is!" burst with startling vehemence from Miss Kendal's coral lips.

"Oh! my dear, what can you mean? I thought he seemed so agreeable."

"I as good as told him," muttered the ruffled fair, too angry to be
reticent, "that I had no one to drive me to-morrow; and I think it was
real rude asking that Bluebell Leigh before my face,--a mere nursery
governess--and not giving me so much as the chance of refusing him."

"But you said," urged Mrs. Kendal, who did not see beyond the proverbial
nasal tip, "that you would not decide on your sleigh till the day."