"Or ride in a cab," said Christopher, with a quiet doggedness that left
no hope of his yielding.

One afternoon Miss Lucas called for Mrs. Staines to drive in the Park,
but did not come up-stairs; it was an engagement, and she knew Mrs.
Staines would be ready, or nearly. Mrs. Staines, not to keep her
waiting, came down rather hastily, and in the very passage whipped out
of her pocket a little glass, and a little powder puff, and puffed her
face all over in a trice. She was then going out; but her husband called
her into the study. "Rosa, my dear," said he, "you were going out with a
dirty face."

"Oh!" cried she, "give me a glass."

"There is no need of that. All you want is a basin and some nice
rain-water. I keep a little reservoir of it."

He then handed her the same with great politeness. She looked in his
eye, and saw he was not to be trifled with. She complied like a lamb,
and the heavenly color and velvet gloss that resulted were admirable.

He kissed her and said, "Ah! now you are my Rosa again. Oblige me by
handing over that powder-puff to me." She looked vexed, but complied.
"When you come back I will tell you why."

"You are a pest," said Mrs. Staines, and so joined her friend, rosy with
rain-water and a rub.

"Dear me, how handsome you look to-day!" was Miss Lucas's first remark.