the past. The young ladies had their white muslins and natural flowers;
which latter decorations invariably collapsed in the course of the
evening, and were worn during the latter half of any festive occasion in
a flabby and hopeless condition. Miss Chickie made the muslins,
festooning and adorning them after designs emanating from her fertile
imagination. If they were a little short in the body, and not very
generously proportioned in the matter of train, there was no rival
establishment to sneer, and Miss Chickie had it all her own way; and, at
least, it could never be said that Slowbridge was vulgar or overdressed.

Judge, then, of Miss Belinda Bassett's condition of mind when her fair
relative took her seat before her.

What the material of her niece's dress was, Miss Belinda could not have
told. It was a silken and soft fabric of a pale blue color; it clung to
the slender, lissome young figure like a glove; a fan-like train of great
length almost covered the hearth-rug; there were plaitings and frillings
all over it, and yards of delicate satin ribbon cut into loops in the
most recklessly extravagant manner.

Miss Belinda saw all this at the first glance, as Mary Anne had seen it,
and, like Mary Anne, lost her breath; but, on her second glance, she saw
something more. On the pretty, slight hands were three wonderful,
sparkling rings, composed of diamonds set in clusters: there were great
solitaires in the neat little ears, and the thickly-plaited lace at the
throat was fastened by a diamond clasp.

"My dear," said Miss Belinda, clutching helplessly at the teapot, "are
you--surely it is a--a little dangerous to wear such--such priceless
ornaments on ordinary occasions."