are saying of me. I don't seem to notice."

"Will you come now and let me introduce Miss Egerton and her sister?"
suggested Lucia hurriedly. "Grandmamma is looking at us."

In the innocence of her heart Octavia glanced at Lady Theobald, and
saw that she was looking at them, and with a disapproving air. "I
wonder what that's for?" she said to herself; but she followed Lucia
across the room.

She made the acquaintance of the Misses Egerton, who seemed rather
fluttered, and, after the first exchange of civilities, subsided into
monosyllables and attentive stares. They were, indeed, very anxious to
hear Octavia converse, but had not the courage to attempt to draw her
out, unless a sudden query of Miss Lydia's could be considered such an
attempt.

"Do you like England?" she asked.

"Is this England?" inquired Octavia.

"It is a part of England, of course," replied the young lady, with calm
literalness.

"Then, of course, I like it very much," said Octavia, slightly waving her
fan and smiling.

Miss Lydia Egerton and Miss Violet Egerton each regarded her in dubious
silence for a moment. They did not think she looked as if she were
"clever;" but the speech sounded to both as if she were, and as if she