ose----?"

"Hush,--you needn't be excited. Of course if you are determined to
speak, you had better speak and be done with it; but I warn you I shan't
take your part, or any one's part----"

"As long as you don't take Paul's part," cried he, with a flash of
inspiration, "the rest doesn't matter."

"Paul's part?" For very amazement Maud fell into her chair again, and
stared at the speaker as though he had struck her a blow. "What--what
did you say? Did you say 'Paul's part'?"

"Yes, I did--I did say just that. I told you you'd jolly well better
hear me out instead of being so infernally supercilious. Oh, I say, I'm
sorry I said that, Maud; I'm--I'm sorry for you altogether."

"You speak in enigmas, Val,"--but her laugh was a little forced; his
earnestness and persistency told; and then there was "Paul's part"?

"He is--but look here, you needn't mind what he is. Don't you take it to
heart----"

"I know what Paul is, thank you," haughtily.

"That's just what you don't----"

"Excuse me, Val----"

"Excuse me, Maud----"

"You are impertinent now, I shall listen no longer."

"Listen no longer? You haven't even _begun_ to listen. Confound it, you
shouldn't treat a fellow like this, when a fellow is doing all he can
for you, and feels for you as--as I do. You know I've always been fond
of you, Maud," softening, "and I've come to say that if you'll marry me
instead----"

"Have you gone crazy, Val?" But vanity whispered a flattering solution
of the problem, and his ear detected an opening. To the same suggestion
Leo had cried "Nonsense!" and although affronted at first, he had
ultimately accepted the "Nonsense!" with philosophy,--but he had weapons
in reserve now, and would soon show that he was not "crazy". No, damn
it, he was not "crazy". The idea!

With the rush of a torrent he told his tale.

"And you saw this--and you heard this?" said Maud, at last. "You did not
dream it? You--you are sure you did not dream it?"

"I'll take my solemn Davy I saw it all, and heard it all. Leo is a
little cat; and as for Paul, to think that he should dare--but I say,
Maud, you will checkmate him, won't you?"

"Hush;" she waved him back, for he had pressed forward. "Let me
think--let me think. If this is true--but it isn't, it can't be
true,--" and she pressed her hands upon her forehead. A thousand
trifles, insignificant in themselves, which had secretly perplexed and
chafed her spirit of late, rushed back upon her memory