be like they were, and then I'm afraid he's not,--at least not
_afraid_--I don't care a hang, only I wonder does he think he can
flirt with me, when he is so nice and just waltzes round the subject
without coming up to it?"

Ah! ha! In that _afraid_, which she sought to recover, the young lady
betrayed that her affections were in danger of leaving her and
betaking themselves to a new ruler, and this sudden inability to see
through another's state of mind towards her was a further sign that
they were not secure.

We are very clear of vision as to the affection tendered us, so long
as we remain unmoved, but once our feelings are stirred, their
palpitating fears so smear our sight that it becomes unreliable.

"Oh, well, it does not matter to you," I said; "you are not likely to
think of him, he's so unattractive, but I must take care that he does
not grow fond of you. If I see any danger of it, I'll tell him
something about you that will nip his affections in the bud. You won't
mind me doing that--just some little thing that won't hurt you, but
will save him unnecessary pain?" And to this she replied with seeming
indifference--

"I wish you'd tell Dora Eweword something that would shoo him off that
he'd never come back, and then I would have seen the last of him,
which would be a treat."

After this we were silent, and I thought she had gone to sleep, for
there was no sound until Andrew came tumbling up the stairs leading
from his room.

"I say!" he called, "have you got any more of that toothache stuff
from the dentist?"

"Come along," I answered, "I'll put some in for you."

"I think it's the oranges that's doin' it, I eat nearly eight dozen
to-day."

"Enough to give you the pip; you ought to slack off a little," I said,
extending him the courtesy of his own vernacular.

"I bet I'd vote for Henderson after all if I could," he continued, in
referring to the meeting, "only I'll gammon I wouldn't just to nark
Uncle Jake. Henderson is the men's man, that other bloke belongs to
wimmen. You should have heard 'em to-night! The fellers behind was
tip-top, and made such a noise at last that Walker could only talk to
the wimmen in the front. We gave him slops because he gets wimmen up
to speak for him, an' we can't give _them_ gyp. One man asked him was
he in favour of ring-barkin' thistles, and another wanted to know was
he in favour of puttin' a tax on caterpillars. He thinks no end of
himself, because he's one of