rel, since she openly denounced and detested
all those demonstrations, as between friends and relations, which come
under the generic title of "pawing."

"No, pray don't be furious with me," she repeated. "I quite appreciate
how sensitive you naturally must be upon the subject of Damaris."

"You have given me encouragement, cousin Henrietta"--this resentfully.

"And why not? Don't be disingenuous, my dear Marshall. I have given you
something much more solid than mere encouragement, namely active help,
opportunity. In the right direction, to the right person, I have
repeatedly praised you. But the prize, in this case, is to him who has
address and perseverance to win it. You possess signal advantages through
your artistic tastes, your music, your reciting. But I have never
disguised from you--now honestly, have I?--there were obstacles and even
prejudices to be overcome."

"Sir Charles despises me."

"But his daughter gives ample proof that she does not. And--you don't
propose to marry Sir Charles, do you?"

Henrietta laughed a trifle shrilly. The tone of that laugh pierced her
hearer's armour of egoism. He stared at her in interrogative
surprise--observing which she hastened to retreat down a run-hole.

"Ah!" she cried, "it is really a little too bad to tease you, Marshall.
But one can't but be tempted to do so at moments. You take everything so
terribly _au grand serieux_, my young friend."

"You mean to convey that I am ponderous?"

"Well--perhaps--just a shade," she archly agreed. "And of ponderosity you
must make an effort to cure yourself.--Mind, though a fault, I consider
it one on the right side--in the connection, that is, which we have just
now been discussing. When a girl has as much intelligence as--we needn't
name names, need we?--she resents perpetual chaff and piffle. They bore
her--seem to her a flagrant waste of time. Her mind tends to scorn
delights and live laborious days--a tendency which rectifies itself
later as a rule. All the same in avoiding frivolity, one must not rush to
the other extreme and be heavy in hand. A happy mien in this as in all
things, my dear Marshall."

"I cannot so far degrade myself as to be an opportunist," he returned
sententiously.

"Yet the opportunist arrives; and to arrive is the main thing, after
all--at least I imagine so.--Now I really cannot stay here any longer
giving you priceless advice; but must take the General his
newspapers.--By the way, did Sir Ch