it came that way in rushes she felt an obscurity
in things. " Why, if our friend here doesn't like
him-

"Should I conceive her interested in keeping
things from me? " Mrs. Lowder did justice to the
question. " My dear, how can you ask? Put your
self in her place. She meets me, but on her terms.
Proud young women are proud young women. And
proud old ones are well, what _I_ am. Fond of you
as we both are, you can help us."

Milly tried to be inspired. " Does it come back
then to my asking her straight?"

At this, however, finally, Aunt Maud threw her
up. " Oh, if you ve so many reasons not!"

"I ve not so many," Milly smiled " but I ve one.
If I break out so suddenly as knowing him, what will
she make of my not having spoken before?"

Mrs. Lowder looked blank at it. " Why should
you care what she makes? You may have only been
decently discreet."

"Ah, I have been," the girl made haste to say.

"Besides," her friend went on, " I suggested to
you, through Susan, your line."

"Yes, that reason's a reason for me."

"And for me," Mrs. Lowder insisted. " She's
not therefore so stupid as not to do justice to grounds
so marked. You can tell her perfectly that I had
asked you to say nothing."

"And may I tell her that you ve asked me now
to speak?"

[[292]]

p291 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p292w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p293

v?