to securing Mordaunt
for herself. Had Septimus ever heard of such a cat? Septimus hadn't.

He was greatly interested in as much of the story as he could follow--Emmy
was somewhat discursive--and as his interjectory remarks were unprovocative
of argument, he constituted himself a good listener. Besides, romance had
never come his way. It was new to him, even Emmy's commonplace little
romance, like a field of roses to a town-bred child, and it seemed sweet
and gracious, a thing to dream about. His own distant worship of Zora did
not strike him as romantic. It was a part of himself, like the hallowed
memory of his mother and the conception of his devastating guns. Had he
been more worldly-wise he would have seen possible danger in Emmy's
romance, and insisted on Zora being taken into their confidence. But
Septimus believed that the radiant beings of the earth, such as Emmy and
Mordaunt Prince, from whom a quaint destiny kept him aloof, could only lead
radiant lives, and the thought of harm did not cross his candid mind. Even
while keeping Emmy's secret from Zora, he regarded it as a romantic and
even dainty deceit.

Zora, seeing him happy with his guns and Wiggleswick and Emmy, applauded
herself mightily as a contriver of good. Her mother also put ideas into her
head.

From the drawing-room window they once saw Emmy and Septimus part at the
little front gate. They had evidently returned from a walk. She plucked a
great white chrysanthemum bloom from a bunch she was carrying, flicked it
laughingly in his face, and stuck it in his buttonhole.

"What a good thing it would be for Emmy," said Mrs. Oldrieve, with a sigh.

"To marry Septimus? Oh, mother!"

She laughed merrily; then all at once she became serious.

"Why not?" she cried, and kissed her mother.

Mrs. Oldrieve settled her cap. She was small and Zora was large, and Zora's
embraces were often disarranging.

"He is a gentleman and can afford to keep a wife."

"And steady?" said Zora, with a smile.

"I should think quite steady," said Mrs. Oldrieve, without one.

"And he would amuse Emmy all day long."

"I don't think it is part of a husband's duty, dear, to amuse his wife,"
said Mrs. Oldrieve.

The sudden entrance of Emmy, full of fresh air, laughter, and
chrysanthemums, put an end to the conversation; but thenceforward Zora
thought seriously of romantic possibilities. Like her mother, she did not
entirely approve of Emmy's London circle. It was characte