son could not fail to
make--'

"She broke off with a little attempt at embarrassment, that was rather a
failure.

"'Would make a good husband, you mean, I suppose,' returned I. 'That is
the old proverb, I believe.'

"'Yes--but I hesitated--I'm so foolish. It always seems immodest to name
such things outright.'

"'I am sorry that I am immodest,' said I, 'but straight-forward words
are natural to me, and I utter them abruptly sometimes.'

"'I suppose I really ought to go and see if I can do anything for Mrs.
Harrington. She is probably alone by this time.'

"At that moment the door opened, and James looked into the room. He did
not see Lucy Eaton where he stood, and said coldly enough--

"'Miss Crawford, if you have leisure, my mother would like to see you.'

"'Certainly,' I said, rising.

"'And I must go back,' cried Lucy, springing up in a flutter. 'Mamma
will positively think I am lost.'

"'Good morning, Miss Eaton,' James said; 'pray excuse me. I supposed
Miss Crawford was alone. I beg pardon of both for having interrupted
you.'

"'Oh, there was no interruption,' said Lucy, moving toward him with her
thin dress sweeping out like a cloud. 'We were through talking, and what
do you suppose it was all about?' she added coquettishly.

"'I really have no idea,' he answered, with a degree of indifference
that I wondered she did not notice.

"'I am sure I shall not tell you,' she said, tossing her curls. 'We'll
not tell, will we, Miss Crawford?' I was busy putting away some books
that had been lying on a chair, and so had an excuse for being
conveniently deaf.

"'Since you are so determined, it would be useless for me to attempt to
persuade you,' James replied, and I knew that he was trying to be polite
in order to hide how it bored him to stand there and talk nonsense.

"I think that a few days before it would have pleased me to have this
proof that Mr. Harrington did not care so much for pretty Lucy Eaton,
but it brought me no satisfaction now. Straightway, as if something had
whispered it in my ear, came the reason for his indifference. His mind
was so completely engrossed by thoughts of our conversation about the
girl Zillah, that there was no room for other ideas to find a place.

"The bare idea turned me faint with indignation and disquiet. The worst
thing of all--the hardest to bear--was to lose my respect for him; and
he was forcing me rapidly to do that.

"If he had loved Lucy Eaton, it would h