own world again.

During their short visit Madame Alvarez talked a greater part of
the time herself, addressing what she said to Miss Langham, but
looking at Hope. It was unusual for Hope to be singled out in
this way when her sister was present, and both the sisters
noticed it and spoke of it afterwards. They thought Madame
Alvarez very beautiful and distinguished-looking, and she
impressed them, even after that short knowledge of her, as a
woman of great force of character.

``She was very well dressed for a Spanish woman,'' was Miss
Langham's comment, later in the afternoon. ``But everything she
had on was just a year behind the fashions, or twelve steamer
days behind, as Mr. MacWilliams puts it.''

``She reminded me,'' said Hope, ``of a black panther I saw once
in a circus.''

``Dear me!'' exclaimed the sister, ``I don't see that at all.
Why?''

Hope said she did not know why; she was not given to analyzing
her impressions or offering reasons for them. ``Because the
panther looked so unhappy,'' she explained, doubtfully, ``and
restless; and he kept pacing up and down all the time, and
hitting his head against the bars as he walked as though he liked
the pain. Madame Alvarez seemed to me to be just like that--as
though she were shut up somewhere and wanted to be free.''