132 The Real Charlotte. 



Christopher busied himself with his chemicals and said 

 nothing. 



" The fact is, Christopher," went on his sister decisively, 

 ^^ you will have to undertake her. Of course, I'll help you, 

 but I really cannot face the idea of entertaining both her 

 and Evelyn at the same time. Just imagine how they 

 would hate it." 



" Let them hate it," said Christopher, with the crossness 

 of a good-natured person who feels that his good nature is 

 going to make him do a disagreeable thing. 



" Ah, Christopher, be good ; it will only be for three 

 days, and she's very easy to talk to ; in fact," ended Pamela 

 apologetically, ** I think I rather like her ! " 



*' Well, do you know," said Christopher, ** the curious 

 thing is, that though I can't talk to her and she can't talk 

 to me, I rather like her, too — when I'm at the other end of 

 the room." 



" That's all very fine," returned Pamela dejectedly ; " it 

 may amuse you to study her through a telescope, but it 

 won't do anyone else much good ; after all, you are the 

 person who is really responsible for her being here. You 

 saved her life." 



" I know I did," replied her brother irritably, staring at 

 the stumpy candle behind the red glass of the lantern, 

 unaware of the portentous effect of its light upon his eye- 

 glass, which shone like a ball of fire ; " that's much the 

 worst feature of the case. It creates a dreadful bond of 

 union. At that infernal bazaar, whenever I happened to 

 come within hail of her. Miss Mullen collected a crowd 

 and made a speech at us. I will say for her that she hid 

 with Hawkins as much as she could, and did her best to 

 keep out of my way. As I said before, I have no personal 

 objection to her, but I have no gift for competing with 

 young women. Why not have Hawkins to dinner every 

 night and to luncheon every day ? It's much the simplest 

 way of amusing her, and it will save me a great deal of 

 wear and tear that I don't feel equal to." 



Pamela got up from the imperial. 



" I hate you when you begin your nonsense of theorising 

 about yourself as if you were a mixture of INIethuselah and 

 Diogenes y I have seen you making yourself just as agree- 



