And Kit-Ki! she lay in the sun
and rolled and rolled until her fur was perfectly filthy. Nobody wanted
to come away; Eileen made straight for the surf; but it was an arctic
sea, and as soon as I found out what she was doing I made her come out."

"I should think you would," he said; "nobody can do that and thrive."

"She seems to," said Nina; "she was simply glorious after the swim, and
I hated to put a stop to it. And you should see her drying her hair and
helping Plunket to roll the tennis-courts--that hair of hers blowing
like gold flames, and her sleeves rolled to her arm-pits!--and you
should see her down in the dirt playing marbles with Billy and
Drina--shooting away excitedly and exclaiming 'fen-dubs!' and
'knuckle-down, Billy!'--like any gamin you ever heard of. Totally
unspoiled, Phil!--in spite of all the success of her first winter!--and
do you know that she had no end of men seriously entangled? I don't mind
your knowing--but Sudbury Gray came to me, and I told him he'd better
wait, but in he blundered and--he's done for, now; and so are my plans.
He's an imbecile! And then, who on earth do you think came waddling into
the arena? Percy Draymore! Phil, it was an anxious problem for me--and
although I didn't really want Eileen to marry into that set--still--with
the Draymores' position and tremendous influence--But she merely stared
at him in cold astonishment. And there were others, too, callow for the
most part. . . . Phil?"

"What?" he said, laughing.

His sister regarded him smilingly, then partly turned around and perched
herself on the padded arm of a great chair.

"Phil, _am_ I garrulous?"

"No, dear; you are far too reticent."

"Pooh! Suppose I do talk a great deal. I like to. Besides, I always have
something interesting to say, don't I?"

"Always!"

"Well, then, why do you look at me so humorously out of those nice gray
eyes? . . . Phil, you are growing handsome! Do you know it?"

"For Heaven's sake!" he protested, red and uncomfortable, "what utter
nonsense you--"

"Of course it bores you to be told so; and you look so delightfully
ashamed--like a reproved setter-puppy! Well, then, don't laugh at my
loquacity again!--because I'm going to say something else. . . . Come
over here, Phil; no--close to me. I wish to put my hands on your
shoulders; like that. Now look at me! Do you really love me?"

"Sure thing, Ninette."

"And you know I adore you; don't you?"

"Madly, dear, but I forgi