mean--I
mean----"

"Don't get flustered, Val. You know we have agreed always to be straight
with each other. I can quite understand Mrs. Purcell's not approving my
marriage."

"But she was awfully sorry for you, you know when;" he nodded
significantly; "and she told me to make friends and try and cheer you
up, and then----"

"Then?"

"A fellow couldn't help seeing what she was thinking of. She had it in
her mind all the time. You trust me. I'm just about as cute as you make
'em when it comes to my gran. I know what she's driving at. All about
your being so sweet, and that. She never used to call you sweet; now,
did she? And I remember how she used to be down on you for being so
untidy and having your hair all about your ears; and she called it red
then--but it's auburn now." He chuckled self-appreciatively, and she
laughed outright; but this sobered him.

"Don't you go and laugh at me, Leo."

"I'm not laughing at you--now. Go on; tell me more; what else did your
gran say?"

"She said--but you won't let it out?"

"No--no."

"She said it would be an awfully good thing for me if I could hitch up
with--no, she didn't say that. At least," he reflected, "I don't think
it was about _you_ she said that."

"There's some one else, then?"

"Oh, bless you, yes. There are heaps of girls,--but _I_ don't care for
any of them," said Val, loftily. "Some of those I met at houses when I
was away were awfully nice, though; they were, really."

"I daresay. What do you want with me, then?"

"Why, I've always been fond of you, Leo. You know I have. And I don't
think you should call it 'nonsense'." Suddenly he reverted to his
grievance: "It makes a fool of a fellow to--to treat a proposal in that
sort of way."

"It wasn't a real proposal, Val. You just said it for something to say."

"I didn't. What an idea! I told gran this morning--she was asking who
I'd met and all that--and I just told her straight, that none of them
could hold a candle to you." He paused and continued: "Though there were
some dashers among them too; and I daresay some men would have said
Nelly Brackenbury was better looking----"

"So Nelly Brackenbury was the one?"

"Rather. Simply splendid. She would have made two of you, Leo."

"Maud's style, perhaps?"

"Aye, Maud's style; that's what I said. I told them I knew a girl who
could give her points, at my own place."

"But to Maud you would say you had met a girl who could give _her_
points!"