ho can prevent people from thinking things? Besides, "I
thought" is always a poor position.

There were, it was true, a good many men whom she would rather not tell
herself. But this difficulty was obviated by requesting Lady Cantourne
to tell everybody. Everybody would tell everybody else, and would, of
course, ask if these particular persons in question had been told; if
not, they would have to be told at once. Indeed there would be quite a
competition to relieve Millicent of her little difficulty. Besides, she
could not marry more than one person. Besides--besides--besides--the
last word of Millicent and her kind.

Lady Cantourne was not very communicative during that dainty little
tea a trois, but she listened smilingly to Jack's optimistic views and
Millicent's somewhat valueless comments.

"I am certain," said Millicent, at length boldly attacking the question
that was in all their minds, "that Sir John will be all right now.
Of course, it is only natural that he should not like Jack to--to get
engaged yet. Especially before, when it would have made a difference
to him--in money, I mean. But now that Jack is independent--you know,
auntie, that Jack is richer than Sir John--is it not nice?"

"Very," answered Lady Cantourne, in a voice rather suggestive of
humouring a child's admiration of a new toy; "very nice indeed."

"And all so quickly!" pursued Millicent. "Only a few months--not two
years, you know. Of course, at first, the time went horribly slow; but
afterwards, when one got accustomed to it, life became tolerable. You
did not expect me to sit and mope all day, did you, Jack?"

"No, of course not," replied Jack; and quite suddenly, as in a flash, he
saw his former self, and wondered vaguely whether he would get back to
that self.

Lady Cantourne was rather thoughtful at that moment. She could not help
coming back and back to Sir John.

"Of course," she said to Jack, "we must let your father know at once.
The news must not reach him from an outside source."

Jack nodded.

"If it did," he said, "I do not think the 'outside source' would get
much satisfaction out of him."

"Probably not; but I was not thinking of the 'outside source' or the
outside effect. I was thinking of his feelings," replied Lady Cantourne
rather sharply. She had lately fallen into the habit of not sparing
Millicent very much; and that young lady, bright and sweet and
good-natured, had not failed to notice it. Indeed, she had