"Oh no, not everything; I saw how little I could get into this scrap of a house. I only brought away what I required." "An immense little fib?" Fleda felt weak; she was glad of the support of her seat.!

"I knew what she wanted to say to me: that's why I was determined to get her off. I knew I shouldn't like it, but I was perfectly prepared," said Owen. "She brought it out as soon as we got round the corner; she asked me point-blank if I was in love with you." "You'll tell her what you think she ought to do?" he asked with some eagerness.

"It's too wonderful, what you've done with the house!"—the visitor met her friend's eyes. They lighted up with joy—that friend herself so pleased with what she had done. This was not at all, in its accidental air of enthusiasm, what Fleda wanted to have said: it offered her as stupidly announcing from the first minute on whose side she was. Such was clearly the way Mrs. Gereth took it: she threw herself upon the delightful girl and tenderly embraced her again; so that Fleda soon went on, with a studied difference and a cooler inspection: "Why, you brought away absolutely everything!" "I remembered how you had tied my hands about saying a word to Owen." "Well," said Mrs. Gereth profoundly, "it will be clear enough that Mona has."