Mainwaring replied coldly that she was "an admirable helpmeet of a very
admirable man," not, however, without an uneasy recollection of her
previous confidences respecting her husband. "They have been most
thoroughly good and kind to me; my own brother and sister could not have
done more. And certainly not with better taste or delicacy," he added,
markedly.

"Certainly, certainly," said Richardson, hurriedly. "I wrote to Lady
Mainwaring that you were taken capital care of by some very honest
people; and that--"

"Lady Mainwaring already knows what I think of them, and what she owes
to their kindness," said Mainwaring, dryly.

"True, true," said Richardson, apologetically. "Of course you must have
seen a good deal of them. I only know Bradley in a business way. He's
been trying to get the Bank to help him to put up some new mills here;
but we didn't see it. I dare say he is good company--rather amusing,
eh?"

Mainwaring had the gift of his class of snubbing by the polite and
forgiving oblivion of silence. Richardson shifted uneasily in his chair,
but continued with assumed carelessness:--

"No; I only knew of this cousin, Miss Macy. I heard of her when she
was visiting some friends in Menlo Park last year. Rather an attractive
girl. They say Colonel Johnson, of Sacramento, took quite a fancy
to her--it would have been a good match, I dare say, for he is very
rich--but the thing fell through in some way. Then, they say, SHE wanted
to marry that Spaniard, young Pico, of the Amador Ranche; but his family