rimless spectacles.

And now here was Pixie, with this preposterous, ridiculous tale! At
sight of her young sister Joan had felt a pang of contrition. She had
forgotten all about her these last terrible days. Poor girl! She must
have been terribly lonely, but that was the best of Pixie--she was
always ready to forgive and forget. Joan kissed her warmly, murmured
apologies, and inquired affectionately how the long days had been
passed. And then--out it came!

"Why ridiculous?" echoed Joan. "My dear, how could it be anything else?
Five days ago, when we were all together, there wasn't a sign of such a
thing. Stanor was attracted by you, of course; but he was not in love.
He was always cheerful, always merry. How different from poor Robert,
who is eating his heart out for Honor Ward!"

"I hope," said Pixie deeply, "that Stanor will always _keep_ cheerful.
It won't be my fault if he does not. No man shall `eat his heart out'
for me if I can help it!"

Joan glanced at her quickly. She had caught the tone of pain in the
beautiful voice, and softened to it with instant response.

"Yes, dear, of course. You'd never flirt, you're too honest, but, all
the same, Pixie, I stick to my opinion. I don't believe for a moment
that Stanor Vaughan is in love with you, and I'm positively sure that
_you_ are not in love with him!"

"Can you look into my heart, Esmeralda, and see what is there?"

"Yes, I can. In this instance I can. Fifty times better than you can
yourself. You are pleased, you are flattered, you are interested. You
were miserable and lonely, (that's my fault, for leaving you alone. I
don't know what Bridgie will say to me!) and Stanor was sorry for you,
you appealed to his chivalry, and you were just in the mood to be swept
off your feet, without realising what it all meant. Pixie, when you
told me just now, you were quite calm, you never even blushed!"

"I don't think," reflected Pixie thoughtfully, "I ever blushed in my
life."

It occurred to her uncomfortably that Stanor also had noticed the
omission, and had felt himself defrauded thereby. She wondered uneasily
if one could _learn_ to blush!

As for Esmeralda, the words carried her back in a rush to the dear days
of childhood, when the little sister had been the pet and pride of the
family. Indeed, and Pixie had had no need to blush! Her very failings
had been twisted round to pose as so many assets in her favour, while
her own happy se