Up came a tall, sprightly girl, whose pertness was redeemed by a certain bonhomie, and said, "Mrs.Staines, I believe?
I am to make myself agreeable to you.

That is the order from headquarters." "Miss Lucas," said Staines.
She jerked a little off-hand bow to him, and said, "Will you trust her to me for five minutes ?" "Certainly." But he did not much like it.
Miss Lucas carried her off, and told Dr.Staines, over her shoulder, now he could flirt to his heart's content.
"Thank you," said he dryly.

"I'll await your return." "Oh, there are some much greater flirts here than I am," said the ready Miss Lucas; and whispering something in Mrs.Staines's ear, suddenly glided with her behind a curtain, pressed a sort of button fixed to a looking-glass door.

The door opened, and behold they were in a delicious place, for which I can hardly find a word, since it was a boudoir and a conservatory in one: a large octagon, the walls lined from floor to ceiling with looking-glasses of moderate width, at intervals, and with creepers that covered the intervening spaces of the wall, and were trained so as to break the outline of the glasses without greatly clouding the reflection.

Ferns, in great variety, were grouped in a deep crescent, and in the bight of this green bay were a small table and chairs.