nt to express his satisfaction that it
was not she: but Chatty had no such insight.

"Yes, he has a curacy quite close, for the time: and he will have an
excellent living, and it is a very nice marriage. We came to town for a
little change, mamma and I."

"That is delightful news. And Theo? I have not heard from Theo for ages.
Is he left behind by himself?"

"Oh! Theo is very well. Theo is---- Oh, I did not mean to say anything
about that."

Chatty did not know why she was so completely off her guard with Dick
Cavendish. She had almost told him everything before she was aware.

"Not in any trouble, I hope. Don't let me put indiscreet questions."

"It is not that. There is nothing indiscreet, only I forgot that we had
not meant to say anything."

"I am so very sorry," cried Cavendish. "You must not think I would ask
anything you don't wish to tell me."

"But I should like to tell you," said Chatty, "only I don't know what
mamma will say. I will tell her it came out before I knew: and you must
not say anything about it, Mr. Cavendish."

"Not a syllable, not even to your mother. It shall be something between
you and me."

The way in which this was said made Chatty's eyes droop for a moment:
but what a pleasure it was to tell him! She could not understand herself.
She was not given to chatter about what happened in the family, and Dick
was not so intimate with Theo that he had a right to know; but still it
was delightful to tell him. "We don't know whether to be glad or sorry,"
she said. "It is that perhaps Theo, after a while, is going to marry."

"That is always interesting," said Dick; but he took the revelation
calmly. "What a lucky fellow! No need to wait upon fortune like the rest
of us. To marry--whom? Do I know the lady? I hope she is all that can be
desired."

"Oh, Mr. Cavendish, that is just the question. There is mamma coming,
perhaps she will tell you herself, which would be so much better than if
you heard it from me."

Mrs. Warrender came up at this moment very glad to see him, and quite
willing to disclose their number in Half Moon Street, and to grant a
gracious permission that he should call and be "of use," as he offered
to be. "I am not a gentleman at large, like Warrender, I am a toiling
slave, spending all my time in Lincoln's Inn. But in the evening I can
spare a little time--and occasionally at other moments," he added, with
a laugh, "when I try. A sufficient motive is the great thing.