 go to the Manor again. I feel I ought not to go. It
is painful; I suffer when I am there.«
    »How strange you are to-day, Adela! Really, I think you might allow me to
decide what is proper and what is not. My experience is surely the best judge.
You are worse than unkind, Adela; it's rude to speak to me like that.«
    »Dear mother,« said the girl, with infinite gentleness, »I am very, very
sorry. How could I be unkind or rude to you? I didn't for a moment mean that my
judgment was better than yours; it is my feelings that I speak of. You won't ask
me to explain - to say more than that? You must understand me?«
    »Oh yes, my dear, I understand you too well,« was the stiff reply. »Of
course I am old-fashioned, and I suppose old-fashioned people are a little
coarse; their feelings are not quite as fine as they might be. We will say no
more for the present, Adela. I will do my best not to lead you into disagreeable
situations through my lack of delicacy.«
    There were tears in Adela's eyes.
    »Mother, now it is you who are unkind. I am so sorry that I spoke. You won't
take my words as they were meant. Must I say that I cannot let Mr. Mutimer
misunderstand the way in which I regard him? He comes here really so very often,
and if we begin to go there too -. People are talking about it, indeed they are;
Letty has told me so. How can I help feeling pained?«
    Mrs. Waltham drew out her handkerchief and appeared mildly agitated. When
Adela bent and kissed her she sighed deeply, then said in an undertone of gentle
melancholy:
    »I ask your pardon, my dear. I am afraid there has been a little
misunderstanding on both sides. But we won't talk any more of it - there,
there!«
    By which the good lady of course meant that she would renew the subject on
the very earliest opportunity, and that, on the whole, she was not discouraged.
Mothers are often unaware of their daughters' strong points, but their
weaknesses they may be trusted to understand pretty well.
    The little scene was just well over, and Adela had taken a seat by the
window, when a gentleman who was approaching the front door saw her and raised
his hat
