rself; which led her to introduce this nobleman more
crudely than she had intended.

"He has been very kind to me, and I like him very much. But if you mean
that he'll propose for me I think you're mistaken."

"Perhaps I am. But your father would like it extremely."

Pansy shook her head with a little wise smile. "Lord Warburton won't
propose simply to please papa."

"Your father would like you to encourage him," Isabel went on
mechanically.

"How can I encourage him?"

"I don't know. Your father must tell you that."

Pansy said nothing for a moment; she only continued to smile as if
she were in possession of a bright assurance. "There's no danger--no
danger!" she declared at last.

There was a conviction in the way she said this, and a felicity in her
believing it, which conduced to Isabel's awkwardness. She felt accused
of dishonesty, and the idea was disgusting. To repair her self-respect
she was on the point of saying that Lord Warburton had let her know that
there was a danger. But she didn't; she only said--in her embarrassment
rather wide of the mark--that he surely had been most kind, most
friendly.

"Yes, he has been very kind," Pansy answered. "That's what I like him
for."

"Why then is the difficulty so great?"

"I've always felt sure of his knowing that I don't want--what did you
say I should do?--to encourage him. He knows I don't want to marry,
and he wants me to know that he therefore won't trouble me. That's the
meaning of his kindness. It's as if he said to me: 'I like you very
much, but if it doesn't please you I'll never say it again.' I
think that's very kind, very noble," Pansy went on with deepening
positiveness. "That is all we've said to each other. And he doesn't care
for me either. Ah no, there's no danger."

Isabel was touched with wonder at the depths of perception of which
this submissive little person was capable; she felt afraid of Pansy's
wisdom--began almost to retreat before it. "You must tell your father
that," she remarked reservedly.

"I think I'd rather not," Pansy unreservedly answered.

"You oughtn't to let him have false hopes."

"Perhaps not; but it will be good for me that he should. So long as he
believes that Lord Warburton intends anything of the kind you say, papa
won't propose any one else. And that will be an advantage for me," said
the child very lucidly.

There was something brilliant in her lucidity, and it made her companion
draw a long breath. I