lightest
step. She fumbled the keys of the closed doors as though they were
silver trinkets on a chatelaine. In Nan's consciousness they seemed to
tinkle and jingle softly in the quiet room.

"I thought of taking Phil away with me, to see the world,"--Nan felt a
sudden tightening of the throat--"but I have decided against it. That
will come later. In the work she wants to do it is better for her to
stay here. If she learns Montgomery she will know the world! Does that
sound a little studied? I am not a maker of phrases--far from it! But
she has splendid talents?" she ended questioningly.

"Phil has the best mind of any girl I ever knew: she takes my breath
away!" cried Nan.

"So! I knew you wouldn't fail me there!"

"We all realize it: we expect great things of her," added Nan.

Lois bent toward her with her winning manner. She drew the parasol
across her lap and clasped it in both hands.

"That is why I am appealing to you; that is what brought me here to see
you--alone. I am leaving Phil here with you because--because it is so
much better for her to be with you than with me! You have done my work
for me--oh, we won't discuss that! I know it all. You must credit me
with some little understanding before we go further!"

Just where that "further" was to lead, Nan could not guess. She murmured
something to the effect that Mrs. Holton was far too kind.

"There is every reason why I should be kind," Lois retorted. "And this
brings me to a rather more serious matter, and one--one I am not
broaching without reason. I want to speak of Tom!" she flashed. The
smile had left her face; her lovely eyes were very grave.

"There is nothing that we need say about Mr. Kirkwood," said Nan,
reddening and stirring uneasily.

"Please do not say that! This is an important moment in your life and
mine. And I must speak to you of Tom before I go away. We are not
children--you and I. You are a woman and a very noble one and--you must
let me say it--I have been one of the worst. There's no finer man in the
world than Tom; I never knew that until I had flung him away. And it's
only because of you and Phil that he found himself again. I know it all
as clearly as though I had been here every day of all these years. You
picked up the broken pieces and made a man of him again--you and Phil.
And you very much more than Phil! I've come to tell you that I'm
grateful for that. He deserves well of the world. He loves you; he wants
to marry yo