nt a moment.

"I do not choose to answer a charge like that," said she. "I beg your
pardon, Graeme, but--"

"Harry, hush! I will not listen to you."

They did not speak again till they reached home. Then Graeme said,--

"I must say something to you, Harry. Let us walk on a little. It is
not late. Harry, what is the trouble between you and Rose?"

"Trouble!" repeated Harry, in amazement. "Do you mean because she
fancied herself left alone this afternoon?"

"Of course I do not mean that. But more than once lately you have
spoken to each other as though you were alluding to something of which I
am ignorant--something that must have happened when you were away from
home--at the West, I mean--something which I have not been told."

"Graeme, I don't understand what you mean. What could possibly have
happened which has been concealed from you? Why don't you ask Rose?"

"Because I have not hitherto thought it necessary to ask any one, and
now I prefer to ask you. Harry, dear, I don't think it is anything very
serious. Don't be impatient with me."

"Has Rose been saying anything to you?"

"Nothing that I have not heard you say yourself. You accused her once
in my hearing of being too fond of admiration, of--of flirting, in
short--"

"My dear Graeme! I don't think I ever made any such assertion--at least
in a way that you or Rose need to resent--or complain of."

"Rose does not complain of it, she laughs at it. Harry, dear, what is
it? Don't you remember one night when something was said about Mrs
Gridley--no, don't be impatient. You were annoyed with Rose, then, and
it was not about anything that was said at the time, at least I thought
not. I don't wish to seem prying or inquisitive, but what concerns Rose
is a great matter to me. She is more to me than any one."

"Graeme," said Harry, gravely, "you don't suppose that I love Rose less
than you do. I think I know what you mean, however. I annoyed her once
by something I said about Charlie, but it was only for the moment. I am
sure she does not care about that now."

"About Charlie!" repeated Graeme.

"Yes; you did not know it, I suppose, but it was a serious matter to
Charlie when you and Rose went away that time. He was like a man lost.
And I do believe she cared for him, too--and I told him so--only she was
such a child."

"You told him so!" repeated Graeme, in astonishment.

"I could not help it, Graeme. The poor fellow was in such