In less than three days she was beloved by all the household, Billy whispering to me confidentially that "never before had he seen any one except _mother_, whom he would like to marry." Saturday afternoon Carrie and Agnes called on Emma, and as I saw them together I fancied I had never looked on three more charming faces.
They appeared mutually pleased with each other, too, although for some reason there seemed to be more affinity between Emma and Agnes.

Carrie appeared thoughtful and absent-minded, which made Anna joke her about her "lover, Penoyer." As she was about leaving the room she made no reply, but after she was gone Agnes looked searchingly at Anna and said: "Is it possible, Miss Anna, that you are so mistaken ?" "How--why ?" asked Emma.

"Is Penoyer a bad man?
What is his occupation ?" "His occupation is well enough," returned Agnes.

"I would not think less of him for that, were he right in other respects.

However, he was Carrie's and my own music teacher." "Impossible," said Anna, but at that moment Carrie reentered the room, and, together with Agnes, soon took her leave.
"Penoyer a music teacher, after all his anger at Lily Gordon for suggesting such an idea!" This was now the theme of Juliet and Anna, although they wondered what there was so _bad_ about him--something, evidently, from Agnes' manner, and for many days they puzzled their brains in vain to solve the mystery..