member people's
messages.

Mrs. Blake shook her head at her.

'Oh, you traitress!' she exclaimed playfully. 'And I thought you, of all
people, were to be trusted. Captain Burnett, I must give my own message.
I want to thank you for your kindness to my poor boy.'

'He is not poor at all,' he replied lightly; but his keen blue eyes
seemed to take the measure, mental and physical, of the graceful-looking
woman before him. 'He is a very clever fellow, and will make his mark. I
can assure you I quite envy him his brains.'

'It makes me so proud to hear you say that. I often wonder why my
children are so clever; their father'--she checked herself, and then
went on in a more subdued key--'my poor husband had only average
talents, and as for me----' She left her sentence unfinished in a most
expressive way.

'Mollie says you are clever too, Mrs. Blake.'

'My dear Miss Ross, then Mollie--bless her little heart!--is wrong. Is
it my fault if those foolish children choose to swear by their mother?
Cleverness does not consist in chattering a little French and
Italian--does it, Captain Burnett? You and I know better than that, and
it will always be a lasting wonder to me why I have a son like my
Cyril.'

'You have two sons, Mrs. Blake.'

Something indefinable in Michael's tone made Mrs. Blake redden for a
moment; then she recovered herself.

'Yes, thank God! I have; but a widow's eldest son is always her prop.
Kester is a mere boy; he cannot help his mother much yet.'

'Kester is nearly sixteen, and will soon be a man; he is already very
thoughtful for his age. I am sure you will permit me to say that I
already take great interest in him; he has a wonderful thirst for
knowledge. I showed one of his translations to Dr. Ross, and he was
quite struck by it. You know, Dr. Ross is a fine Greek scholar.'

Mrs. Blake seemed much impressed; she was evidently taken aback. She was
generally so absorbed in her eldest son that she failed to give Kester
his due. The boy was shy and retiring with her; very likely he felt
himself unappreciated. Anyhow, it was certain that he sought sympathy
from everyone but his mother; and yet, in her own way, she was kind to
him.

Audrey was a little disappointed to find Michael so grave in his manner
to her charming friend--for such she already considered Mrs. Blake.
Michael was generally so nice and genial with people; he did not seem in
the least aware that he was talking to a pretty woman. In