fully unbecoming to the room, and with the small
homely hum of Chirk Street. Presently he moved
nearer, but as if her question had quite dropped.
"I don't see what has so suddenly wound you up."

"I should have thought you might perhaps guess.
Let me at any rate tell you. Aunt Maud has made
me a proposal. But she has also made me a condi
tion. She wants to keep me."

"And what in the world else could she possibly
want?"

"Oh, I don't know many things. I'm not so
precious a capture," the girl a little dryly explained.
"No one has ever wanted to keep me before."

Looking always what was proper, her father
looked now still more surprised than interested.
"You ve not had proposals? " He spoke as if that
were incredible of Lionel Croy's daughter; as if
indeed such an admission scarce consorted, even in
filial intimacy, with her high spirit and general form.

"Not from rich relations. She's extremely kind
to me, but it's time, she says, that we should under
stand each other."

Mr. Croy fully assented. " Of course it is high
time; and I can quite imagine what she means by
it."

"Are you very sure?"

"Oh, perfectly. She means that she ll do for
you handsomely if you ll break off all relations with
me. You speak of her condition. Her condition's
of course that."

[[15]]

p014 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p015w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p016

v?