to ask. Wasn't it?"

"Continue."

"One day in that summer-house he sailed away into one of his
tempers--did you ever happen to see him in that condition?"

"No, but I have heard of them."

"Well, my mother was a Unitarian. So was I. And the gulf between a
Unitarian and a Catholic priest is about as wide as from here to that
moon. It was like asking me to become a beautiful young lady--or a green
elephant--I simply couldn't. Perhaps you agree with me?"

"Go on. Don't ask so many questions."

"I told him, respectfully, it was impossible. Then as he made a rush for
me I saw, from his eyes and his white face, that murder and sudden death
were in the air. Being younger I could dodge him and get away, and that
so increased his fury that he fell down on the gravel walk in a sort of
convulsion--or fit. I ran into the house for assistance, and while Sally
and Martha tried to bring him to I went for the doctor."

A silence followed this story. At last Elinor inquired if his father
persisted.

"Persisted! That question, oh, Angel Cook, shows how little you knew my
father! As soon as he recovered he lost no time in telling me to leave
the house and never see him again."

"And what happened?"

"I vanished."

"Oh!" A sympathetic pressure of his hand and the girl beside him leaned
closer still. "Horrible! So you wandered out into the world and this is
your home-coming. Well, Patsy, I shall never treat you in that way. When
you are very obstinate I shall just put my arms around your neck and
treat you very differently."

"Well," said Pats, "I think it safer for you to be doing that most of
the time, anyway. It might stave off any inclination to obstinacy."

Here followed a snug, celestial silence, broken at last by Pats. "Would
you mind telling me, O Light of the North, where you heard I was the
attacking party at that interview?"

"No, I must not tell."

"Did Father Burke make you promise?"

"Why do you mention _him_?"

"For lots of reasons. One is that he is the only person on earth who
could possibly have told you. But it was clever of him to warn you
against me. I knew from his expression when he said good-by, on the
boat, that he thought he had settled my prospects, and to his perfect
satisfaction. However, I don't ask you to betray him. And I bear no
malice. He did his best to undo me, but Love and all the angels were on
my side."

She laughed gently. "And you all made a strong combination, Patsy."

The