her Blanche? it is short and handy--Blanche is
also full of gentle animation; she is docile, yielding, and has nice
caressing ways that grannie loves. Indeed, she is such a guileless,
simple little creature that it is difficult to believe that she is
grown up--just eighteen, I think you said, Dinah, or was, it nineteen,
dear?" But Dinah refused to hear any more.

Elizabeth might laugh at her and call her grannie, but in her secret
thoughts Dinah cherished a fond idea of a little fair-haired girl whom
she would mother for Cedric's sake.

And now first Malcolm and then Elizabeth had given her this charming
new idea.

"I am afraid you will be shocked," she said presently, "but I do not
think I shall be so dreadfully disappointed if Cedric does fail in his
Civil Service Examination. He might have to go to India, you see, and
it would be so much nicer to keep him in England."

"The heart of man, and woman too, is deceitful and desperately wicked,"
and Elizabeth heaved a deep sigh. "To think that you can be so selfish,
Die, as to build up your happiness on the poor lad's ruined hopes," and
then she burst out laughing and took her sister by the shoulders.
"Grannie," she said solemnly, "you just idolise that boy. If it would
do him any good you would lie down and let him trample on you. Have I
not often warned you that if you go on like this you will turn him out
a full-fledged tyrant? Human nature--masculine human nature I mean,"
correcting herself--"will not stand it. An enfant gate is always odious
to sensible people. Now, if you were to try and spoil me," expanding
herself until she looked twice her size, "I should only bloom out into
fresh beauty--approbation, commendation, blindfold admiration would be
meat and drink to me. I have the digestion of a young ostrich,"
continued Elizabeth blandly--"nothing would be too difficult for me to
swallow. As for satiety, my dear creature, you need never expect to
hear me call out, 'Eheu, jain satis.'"

"Dear Betty, how you do talk," Dinah's usual formula; "and how I do
love to hear you," she inwardly added. "But it is very late, and we
shall have a tiring day to-morrow."

Dinah spoke in her cheery way, but when she was in her own room her
sweet face grew pensive and a little sad. Was there not an element of
truth under Elizabeth's jokes? Did she not make an idol of her young
brother? Was she altogether reasonable on the subject?

"If I am weak, I trust such weakness will be f