breath. She straightened herself slowly and let her feet
slip to the ground, but Esmeralda realised that nothing but a direct
request would convince her of the extraordinary fact that her absence
was for once more desired than her presence. For obvious reasons such a
request could not be made, and as the time was quickly passing nothing
remained but to clothe her hints even more circumspectly than she had
intended.

"I am so glad that your foot is really getting better," she said
graciously to Sylvia. "Bridgie says the nurse is so pleased with its
progress the last few days. You will be able to walk about soon, and
then if you feel inclined for a change we shall be so pleased if you
will come over to visit us. It is quiet at Knock, but I would drive you
about, and the air is so delightful that I am sure it would do you good.
You will hear all about the place from Pixie, so that it would not feel
strange to you when you arrived, and we have a few nice friends within
driving distance.

"She would like Mollie Burrell, wouldn't she, Pixie? That's a young
girl who lives seven miles from us at Knock, but we think nothing of
that distance in the country. She was always over at the Castle before
Jack went away, and we used to say she felt like another sister. You
remember how he used to drive over in the cart, and bring her back to
surprise us?"

"I do so! And the afternoon when she went shopping into the post-office
as they drove through the village, and Tim Hegan came up and began
bidding for the old grey mare, and with that Jack took him into the cart
and drove over to the farm, and never a thought of poor Mollie until the
evening, when she cut him dead limping home through the mud. 'Twas a
cruel thing to do, and the poor creature putting on new boots for the
occasion to do him honour, and says Jack, `I've done for myself this
time! It would take a cleverer man than myself to twist _that_ into a
compliment!'"

"Oh, that's an old-world story!" cried Esmeralda, with her head in the
air. Her cheeks had flushed despite her efforts for composure, and she
was uncomfortably conscious that Sylvia was trying to restrain a smile
at this most open contradiction of the implied attachment between Jack
and his Irish neighbour. Her irritation urged her to stronger measures,
and she said testily--

"It proves how little dependence can be placed upon Jack's promises. If
he could forget Mollie, it is no wonder that he cha