me by herself
on the first convenient occasion. Elsie made a public announcement in
the schoolroom that evening that she washed her hands of Mr Vanburgh,
finding in him a cold and unresponsive soul; but Lilias was not so
easily discouraged. It rankled in her mind that she had failed where
others had succeeded, and she determined to break down Mr Vanburgh's
prejudice and win the post of favourite, cost what it might. She had
not had a fair chance when Elsie was present. The members of one's own
family are apt to betray surprise at injudicious moments, to check one's
innocent rhapsodies by counter-assertions, and even to quote words used
on previous occasions, as a proof that conduct does not coincide with
theory. There were a dozen pretty little speeches she had been longing
to make, but it was impossible to deliver them when Elsie was sitting
there, listening with all her ears, ready to repeat them to a schoolroom
audience, or even commit them to the surer testimony of her diary. Some
day she would make excuse to go alone, and then--! Lilias nodded her
head in assured self-confidence, and watched Nan's air of proprietorship
with a smile, convinced that her own triumph was at hand. She was
beginning to realise that a declared understanding was less exciting
than an incipient love affair; the thirst for fresh conquest was upon
her, and in default of any more interesting prey, she determined to turn
her attention to Mr Vanburgh, and raked her silly little head to devise
schemes for subjection.

Honest Nan had no scheme at all, nothing but the kindliest desire to
cheer a lonely old man, and was so entirely her bright merry self at the
second interview, that again, and yet again, the sound of laughter broke
the silence of the room. She discovered that the old man had a keen
sense of humour, though it had long lain dormant; and as it seemed to
please him to hear her chat away in unconstrained fashion, chat she did,
with such an accompaniment of sparkling eyes, waving hands, and sunny
smiles, as was a positive tonic to behold. She told stories of her own
adventures or misadventures, which Mr Vanburgh capped by remembrances
of his own boyhood; they compared notes as to their mutual sensations at
critical moments, and so sympathetic did they appear, that the girl was
forced into an expression of astonishment.

"You remember so well! Most old people seem to forget how it feels to
be young, especially people who have n