But his eye was on the door, and when Mary and Mrs.Seal entered, he gave a little laugh and observed to the assembly which was scattered about the room: "I fancy, ladies and gentlemen, that we are ready to commence." So speaking, he took his seat at the head of the table, and arranging one bundle of papers upon his right and another upon his left, called upon Miss Datchet to read the minutes of the previous meeting.

Mary obeyed.

A keen observer might have wondered why it was necessary for the secretary to knit her brows so closely over the tolerably matter-of-fact statement before her.

Could there be any doubt in her mind that it had been resolved to circularize the provinces with Leaflet No.

3, or to issue a statistical diagram showing the proportion of married women to spinsters in New Zealand; or that the net profits of Mrs.Hipsley's Bazaar had reached a total of five pounds eight shillings and twopence half-penny?
Could any doubt as to the perfect sense and propriety of these statements be disturbing her?
No one could have guessed, from the look of her, that she was disturbed at all.