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226 BLACK SHEEP.becoming costume, and an equally becoming attitude;and shelooked beautiful indeed, in her richmorning dress of black silk, facedwith rosecolouredsatin ancl costly lace. The masses of herdark hair werecoiled smoothly round her head,heryvhite arms were without ajewel to turn the eyefrom their shapely beautyr. She glanced at one ofthe many mirrors in the room as the page announced" alady," and felt perfectly satisfied.The room was long and narrow, though notlarge;and as Harriet walked from the door tothe hearth-rug on which Mrs. freton P. Bembridgestood,having gracefullyrisen in an attitudeespecially intended for her visitor's admiration,that ladyhad time to observe her appearance,andto experience a certain vague sense of discomfortnot altogether unlike alarm.She saw a faceyvhich sheremembered, but with yvhich she couldnot connect any- distinct recollection; a pale, fair,determined face with smooth light-brown hairframing a broad loyv brow, yvith keen piercingblue ey-es, which looked steadily at her, and neverdropped their fine fringed lids,blue eyesin whichpow-er, will, and knowledge dwelt, as the shallow-