inging Madge and
Graydon together had already entered Mrs. Muir's mind. A scheme of
this character would grow in fascination every hour. Poor Madge was
well aware that, with the best intentions, no one could more certainly
blast her hopes than her sister, whose efforts would be unaccompanied
by the nicest tact. Moreover, any such attempts might involve the
disclosure of her secret.

"Well, you have changed in every respect," said Mary, looking at her
wonderingly.

"For the better, I hope. My feeling in this respect, however, seems
to me perfectly natural. I don't see how a self-respecting girl could
endure anything except a straightforward, downright suit, with plenty
of time to make up her own mind. I can do without the man who does not
think me worthy of this, and could probably do without him any way.
Because a man wants to marry a girl is only one reason for assent, and
there may be a dozen reasons to the contrary."

"Why, Madge, how you talk! When you left us it seemed as if any one
might pick you up and marry you and you would not have spirit enough
to say yes or no. Have you had to refuse any one at Santa Barbara?
Perhaps you didn't refuse. You have told me so little of what was
going on!"

"That isn't fair to me, Mary. I explained to you that I wished to
give you a pleasant surprise. To plan a pleasure for you was
not unsisterly, was it? I haven't Miss Wildmere's ambition for
miscellaneous conquests. Why should I write about men for whom I cared
nothing and toward whom my manner should have made my spoken negative
unnecessary?"

"Other girls would. Well, it seems that their suit was downright
enough to satisfy you. Good gracious! How many were there?"

Madge laughed, yawned, and her sister saw that her dark eyes were full
of the languor of sleep, which added to their beauty.

"Oh, not many," she drawled. "I'll gossip about them some time when
not so tired. I'll indicate them by numerals. Why should I babble
their names in connection with what they called so sacred? I wonder
how many like sacred affairs had occurred before. If I tell you the
story of the wooing of Number One, Two, Three, and so on, that will
answer just as well, won't it?"

"No, indeed. I wish to know their names, family connection, and
whether they were well off or not."

Madge again laughed, and began to disrobe, in order to indicate that
their confidence must at least be adjourned for the present. Her
sister came and felt her perf