ut what you're not much interested in makes little
impression on your mind if you're a man and in love. For him I was a
child, a nice sympathetic child. And such affection as he gave me, I
lived upon, as if it had been the washings from a cup of the elixir of
life.

For his sake, I studied Di more closely than ever, after that day, and
soon I understood what she was driving at. She wanted to have her cake
and eat it, too. And she got it. Any girl can manage this, if she is
clever enough; and Di, though she isn't bookish or intellectual, is
very, very clever in the way women have been clever since they emerged
from cave life.

She succeeded in keeping back a real proposal which she would have had
to answer with a "yes" or "no"; but she hinted to Captain March that, if
she could have just a little more time to think about it, with the
glamour of his presence gone, she would probably realize that she
couldn't be happy without him. Of course it would be a blow for poor,
dear Bally if she married out of Ireland or England, but still--but
still--only give her time to read her heart.

Eagle told me something of the scene between them, and of course, I saw
exactly what Di was up to: but I caged all the wild cats in me, and said
I was glad, if _he_ were happy. Yes, indeed, I'd take care of Di for
him, and write him how she looked and what she did, and use all my
influence to make Father escort us both over to America as soon as
possible. Di, it seemed, had also agreed to use her influence in
bringing this result about. I couldn't tell at the time whether she had
thrown the promise as a sop to keep Eagle quiet, or whether she really
thought that she would like to go. All I knew was that, if she did use
her influence--and Father could get hold of enough money--the thing was
as good as done.

Eagle took his departure; and we, and lots of his new friends, went to
Euston to see him off for Liverpool, Di, no doubt, secretly thinking
that sort of public "good-bye" safer than a private one. As for our
going to America, the scheme hung by a thread, as I guessed soon after
Eagle's back was turned. A bird in the hand is always worth at least two
in the bush, and Di's hand was ready. If the right bird could be palmed
before the season's end, it would mean that nothing of Di except her
wedding cards would sail across the sea. But as it turned out, home
birds were wary, and we crept back to Ireland in time for the horse show
with Diana e