"So much that they're all, and that she can let everything else absolutely depend upon them?" "So much the better, if it's the kind of one you desire." That was the most she could say, and having made it sound as dry as possible she lapsed into a silence so pointed as to deprive him of all pretext for not leaving her. Still, nevertheless, he stood there, playing with his hat and filling the long pause with a strained and anxious smile. He wished to obey her thoroughly, to appear not to presume on any advantage he had won from her; but there was clearly something he longed for beside. While he showed this by hanging on she thought of two other things. One of these was that his countenance, after all, failed to bear out his description of his bliss. As for the other, it had no sooner come into her head than she found it seated, in spite of her resolution, on her lips. It took the form of an inconsequent question. "When did you say Mrs. Brigstock was to have gone back?"!

"If he shouldn't be there," Fleda interrupted, "there will be no harm done." "Not a word."

"About bringing home to you?"—Fleda encouraged him. Owen looked conscious. "All about it?" Mrs. Gereth, struck apparently by something in her tone, looked at her from a tremendous height. "Don't fail me now!"