y, "Can I see the Reverend Stephen
Richmond, if you please?"

Mrs. Dodge went upstairs and came right back saying would I please go
up to the study. Up I went, my heart in my mouth, I can tell you, and
there was Dick among his books, looking so pale and sorrowful and
interesting, for all the world like Lord Algernon Francis in the
splendid serial in the paper cook took. There was a Madonna on his
desk that looked just like Aunt Tommy.

"Good evening, Miss Elizabeth," said Dick, just as if I were grown up,
you know. "Won't you sit down? Try that green velvet chair. I am sure
it was created for a pink dress and unfortunately neither Mrs. Dodge
nor I possess one. How are all your people?"

"We are all pretty well; thank you," I said, "except Aunt Tommy.
She--" I was going to say, "She cries every night after she goes to
bed," but I remembered just in time that if I were in Aunt Tommy's
place I wouldn't want a man to know I cried about him even if I did.
So I said instead "--she has got a cold."

"Ah, indeed, I am sorry to hear it," said Dick, politely but coldly,
as if it were part of his duty as a minister to be sorry for anybody
who had a cold, but as if, apart from that, it was not a concern of
his if Aunt Tommy had galloping consumption.

"And Jack and I are terribly harrowed up in our minds," I went on.
"That is what I've come up to see you about."

"Well, tell me all about it," said Dick.

"I'm afraid to," I said. "I know you'll be cross even if you are a
minister. It's about what Jack told you about that man in New York and
Aunt Tommy."

Dick turned as red as fire.

"I'd rather not discuss your Aunt Bertha's affairs," he said stiffly.

"You must hear this," I cried, feeling thankful that Jacky hadn't come
after all, for he'd never have got any further ahead after that snub.
"It's all a mistake. There is a man in New York and he just worships
Aunt Tommy and she just adores him. But he's seventy years old and
he's her Uncle Matthew who brought her up ever since her father died
and you've heard her talking about him a hundred times. That's all,
cross my heart solemn and true."

You never saw anything like Dick's face when I stopped. It looked just
like a sunrise. But he said slowly, "Why did Jacky tell me such
a--tell me it in such a way?"

"We wanted to make you jealous," I said. "I put Jacky up to it."

"I didn't think it was in either of you to do such a thing," said Dick
reproachfully.

"Oh, Dick