the idle preliminaries of conversation. "We
were not talking of you, though," she added as Amherst took the seat to
which his mother beckoned him, "but of Bessy--which, I suppose, is
almost as indiscreet."

She added the last phrase after an imperceptible pause, and as if in
deprecation of the hardly more perceptible frown which, at the mention
of his wife's name, had deepened the lines between Amherst's brows.

"Indiscreet of his own mother and his wife's friend?" Mrs. Amherst
protested, laying her trimly-gloved hand on her son's arm; while the
latter, with his eyes on her companion, said slowly: "Mrs. Ansell knows
that indiscretion is the last fault of which her friends are likely to
accuse her."

"_Raison de plus_, you mean?" she laughed, meeting squarely the
challenge that passed between them under Mrs. Amherst's puzzled gaze.
"Well, if I take advantage of my reputation for discretion to meddle a
little now and then, at least I do so in a good cause. I was just saying
how much I wish that you would take Bessy to Europe; and I am so sure
of my cause, in this case, that I am going to leave it to your mother to
give you my reasons."

She rose as she spoke, not with any sign of haste or embarrassment, but
as if gracefully recognizing the desire of mother and son to be alone
together; but Amherst, rising also, made a motion to detain her.

"No one else will be able to put your reasons half so convincingly," he
said with a slight smile, "and I am sure my mother would much rather be
spared the attempt."

Mrs. Ansell met the smile as freely as she had met the challenge. "My
dear Lucy," she rejoined, laying, as she reseated herself, a light
caress on Mrs. Amherst's hand, "I'm sorry to be flattered at your
expense, but it's not in human nature to resist such an appeal. You
see," she added, raising her eyes to Amherst, "how sure I am of
myself--and of _you_, when you've heard me."

"Oh, John is always ready to hear one," his mother murmured innocently.

"Well, I don't know that I shall even ask him to do as much as that--I'm
so sure, after all, that my suggestion carries its explanation with it."

There was a moment's pause, during which Amherst let his eyes wander
absently over the dissolving groups on the lawn.

"The suggestion that I should take Bessy to Europe?" He paused again.
"When--next autumn?"

"No: now--at once. On a long honeymoon."

He frowned slightly at the last word, passing it by to revert to th