" she hastened on, half pained that her simple ruse
should so readily deceive him.

"Well, I guess you're active enough for me," he persisted. His calm
determination began to frighten her; she trembled lest her own should be
less staunch.

"No, no," she repeated, feeling the tears on her lashes. "I couldn't,
Mr. Ramy, I couldn't marry. I'm so surprised. I always thought it
was Evelina--always. And so did everybody else. She's so bright and
pretty--it seemed so natural."

"Well, you was all mistaken," said Mr. Ramy obstinately.

"I'm so sorry."

He rose, pushing back his chair.

"You'd better think it over," he said, in the large tone of a man who
feels he may safely wait.

"Oh, no, no. It ain't any sorter use, Mr. Ramy. I don't never mean to
marry. I get tired so easily--I'd be afraid of the work. And I have
such awful headaches." She paused, racking her brain for more convincing
infirmities.

"Headaches, do you?" said Mr. Ramy, turning back.

"My, yes, awful ones, that I have to give right up to. Evelina has to do
everything when I have one of them headaches. She has to bring me my tea
in the mornings."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear it," said Mr. Ramy.

"Thank you kindly all the same," Ann Eliza murmured. "And please
don't--don't--" She stopped suddenly, looking at him through her tears.

"Oh, that's all right," he answered. "Don't you fret, Miss Gunner.
Folks have got to suit themselves." She thought his tone had grown more
resigned since she had spoken of her headaches.

For some moments he stood looking at her with a hesitating eye, as
though uncertain how to end their conversation; and at length she found
courage to say (in the words of a novel she had once read): "I don't
want this should make any difference between us."

"Oh, my, no," said Mr. Ramy, absently picking up his hat.

"You'll come in just the same?" she continued, nerving herself to
the effort. "We'd miss you awfully if you didn't. Evelina, she--" She
paused, torn between her desire to turn his thoughts to Evelina, and the
dread of prematurely disclosing her sister's secret.

"Don't Miss Evelina have no headaches?" Mr. Ramy suddenly asked.

"My, no, never--well, not to speak of, anyway. She ain't had one for
ages, and when Evelina IS sick she won't never give in to it," Ann Eliza
declared, making some hurried adjustments with her conscience.

"I wouldn't have thought that," said Mr. Ramy.

"I guess you don't know us as well as you t