Clara Mowbray had also, negligent as she seemed to be of appearances, her own art of the toilet, although of the most rapid and most simple character.

She took off her little riding-hat, and, unbinding a lace of Indian gold which retained her locks, shook them in dark and glossy profusion over her very handsome form, which they overshadowed down to her slender waist; and while her brother stood looking on her with a mixture of pride, affection, and compassion, she arranged them with a large comb, and, without the assistance of any _femme d'atours_, wove them, in the course of a few minutes, into such a natural head-dress as we see on the statues of the Grecian nymphs.
"Now let me but find my best muff," she said, "come prince and peer, I shall be ready to receive them." "Pshaw! your muff--who has heard of such a thing these twenty years?
Muffs were out of fashion before you were born." "No matter, John," replied his sister; "when a woman wears a muff, especially a determined old maid like myself, it is a sign she has no intentions to scratch; and therefore the muff serves all the purposes of a white flag, and prevents the necessity of drawing on a glove, so prudentially recommended by the motto of our cousins, the M'Intoshes."[II-4] "Be it as you will, then," said Mowbray; "for other than you do will it, you will not suffer it to be .-- But how is this!--another billet ?--We are in request this morning." "Now, Heaven send his lordship may have judiciously considered all the risks which he is sure to encounter on this charmed ground, and resolved to leave his adventure unattempted," said Miss Mowbray.
Her brother glanced a look of displeasure at her, as he broke the seal of the letter, which was addressed to him with the words, "Haste and secrecy," written on the envelope.

The contents, which greatly surprised him, we remit to the commencement of the next chapter.
FOOTNOTE: [II-4] The well known crest of this ancient race, is a cat rampant with a motto bearing the caution--"Touch not the cat, but [_i.e._ _be out_, or without] the glove.".