But as Bee had already rung, the coffee and muffins were soon served, and the family gathered around the table.

Beside Claudia’s plate lay a weekly paper, which, as soon as she had helped her companions to coffee, she took up and read.  It was a lively gossiping little paper of that day, published every Saturday morning, under the somewhat sounding title of “The Republican Court Journal,” and it gave, in addition to the news of the world, the doings of the fashionable circles.  This number of the paper contained a long description of the President’s drawing room of the preceding evening.  And as Claudia read it, she smiled and broke in silvery laughter.

Everyone looked up.

“What is it, my dear?” inquired the judge.

“Let us have it, Claudia,” said Mr. Middleton.

“Oh, papa! oh, uncle!  I really cannot read it out—­it is too absurd!  Is there no way, I wonder, of stopping these reporters from giving their auction-book schedule of one’s height, figure, complexion, and all that?  Here, Bee—­you read it, my dear,” said Claudia, handing it to her cousin.

Bee took the paper and cast her eyes over the article in question; but as she did so her cheek crimsoned with blushes, and she laid the paper down.

“Read it, Bee,” said Claudia.

“I cannot,” answered Beatrice coldly.

“Why not?”

“It makes my eyes burn even to see it!  Oh, Claudia, how dare they take such liberties with your name?”

“Why, every word of it is praise—­high praise.”

“It is fulsome, offensive flattery.”

“Oh, you jealous little imp!” said Miss Merlin, laughing.

“Yes, Claudia, I am jealous! not of you; but for you—­for your delicacy and dignity,” said Beatrice gravely.

“And you think, then, I have been wronged by this public notice?” inquired the heiress, half wounded and half offended by the words of her cousin.

“I do,” answered Beatrice gravely.

“As if I cared!  Queens of society, like other sovereigns, must be so taxed for their popularity, Miss Middleton!” said Claudia, half laughingly and half defiantly.

Bee made no reply.

But Mr. Middleton extended his hand, saying: 

“Give me the paper.  Claudia is a little too independent, and Bee a little too fastidious, for either to be a fair judge of what is right and proper in this matter; so we will see for ourselves.”

Judge Merlin nodded assent.

Mr. Middleton read the article aloud.  It was really a very lively description of the President’s evening reception—­interesting to those who had not been present; more interesting to those who had; and most interesting of all to those who found themselves favorably noticed.  To the last-mentioned the notice was fame—­for a day.  The article was two or three columns in length; but we will quote only a few lines.  One paragraph said: 

“Among the distinguished guests present was the young Viscount Vincent, eldest son and heir of the earl of Hurstmonceux and Banff.  He was presented by the British minister.”