t a moment. There is
something--something I want to speak to you about--come into the
dining-room--oh, do you know what this is, Nan?--Captain King has
written.'

'Yes, dear,' said Nan, calmly and kindly, as she followed her into the
empty dining-room.

'I must not show you the letter, must I?' said the younger sister,
eagerly, though she was herself still reading and re-reading it. 'But
you know what it is, Nan. And I must send an answer--oh, dear, what
shall I do?'

'You ought to know, Madge,' her sister said. 'You were not unprepared,
surely. I thought you expected it. I thought you would have had your
mind made up.'

'But it is so dreadful--so sudden--so terrible! Look at my hands--I am
all shaking. Oh, Nan, what would you do--what would you do if you were
me?'

Nan seemed to be thinking of something far away; it was after a second
that she recalled herself to this question, and then she answered with
some astonishment--

'Don't you know your own mind, Madge?'

'Well, I do in a way,' said the younger sister, still staring at the
letter. 'I like him well enough. I think it would do very well; and
there would be no trouble with any one. I am sorry for that poor fellow
Hanbury; but what _is_ the use of his hanging about, and keeping one
nervous? There is no use in it all--nothing but bother. And I know
Captain King is very fond of me, and I think he would be very kind; and
you know he is not going to sea again. And mamma would be pleased. Do
you think I should go to her now?'

'What is the use of going to any one until you know what your mind is?'

If the unhappy Hanbury could only have seen his sweetheart at this
moment--staring blankly at the open letter, with a doubt on her face
which was most probably inspired by some vague and tender recollection
of himself! What might not have happened if only he could have
intervened at this crisis, and appealed to her with eyes and speech, and
implored her to defy these terrible authorities in London? But Madge
kept looking at the letter; and then she shut it together; and then she
said with decision--

'I think it's the best thing I can do. Wait a minute, Nan; I'll go and
tell mamma.'

When she came downstairs again she was quite radiant and eager in her
joy.

'Oh, I'm so glad it's all settled and over. I'm so glad there'll be no
more worry and bother. And really Captain King is one of the
nicest-looking men we know--Edith has always said