to themselves,
then," she said. "Dover pier"--and she smiled inwardly as she said
it--"was not thick with aspirants for my rather large hand. But as we
are on the subject, Daisy, what about Mr. Carton?"

Daisy looked at her imploringly.

"Oh, don't!" she said. "There is nothing more to tell you than what I
have written to you. He's so much too good for me that I should feel
uncomfortably inferior, which is never pleasant. Oh, Aunt Jeannie,
what a fraud I am! That isn't the reason a bit--and the reason is
simply that I don't want to. It sounds so easy to understand, doesn't
it, when it's stated like that, but poor darling Willie finds it so
difficult to grasp. I had to say it all over again three times last
Monday. It isn't that I feel inferior to him. If I did, it might mean
that I was in love with him, because people always say that they
aren't the least worthy when they fully intend to marry each other.
No. I don't want to, that's all; and if I am to be an old maid with a
canary--well, I shall be an old maid with a canary, which I shall
instantly sell, because they make such a row, don't they? Do you think
we might talk about something else?"

It was scarcely necessary for Daisy to add the last sentence, for
without pause she proceeded to do so. At the back of her mind Mrs.
Halton felt that there was something behind this, but since Daisy
clearly did not desire to speak of it, she would be committing the
crime--almost unpardonable between friends--of attempting to force a
confidence, if she showed the slightest eagerness to hear more or even
let her manner betray that she thought there was more to be heard.
Besides, she had her own secret from Daisy. It would be a meanness to
deny to others the liberty she claimed herself.

Lady Nottingham came in soon after this, and before long the two girls
had to go and dress for their dinner. Daisy, in the highest spirits,
rushed in again to say good-night to the aunts before starting, a
ravishing figure.

"Good-night, darling Aunt Jeannie," she cried. "Yes, my frock is nice,
isn't it?--and it cost twopence-halfpenny! Wasn't it a cheap shop?
Silver has gone down in value, you see, so much, and green was always
cheap. It's too heavenly to think that I shall come back to the house
where you are. Usually I hate coming back from balls."

A cab was waiting for them, and Daisy pulled the window down with a
jerk.

"She's a darling!" she exclaimed, "and I want to tell her every