, he
_does_ like you! And he doesn't care one bit for Lady Frances Hope,
though she follows him everywhere he goes----"

But Clodagh sat suddenly upright, and with an abrupt gesture put her
hand on her sister's shoulder.

"Nance," she said sharply, "you are talking about things that you don't
understand. Don't talk about them! It--it annoys me!"

"But, Clo----"

For answer Clodagh stooped and kissed her almost nervously.

"When you are older, Nance, you will know that it is tactless to talk
of certain things to certain people. Don't talk to me again of Sir
Walter Gore. He and I have nothing to do with each other. We--we belong
to different worlds."

Once more she bent and kissed Nance's startled, penitent face; and,
putting her gently from her, rose and walked to the window.

For some minutes there was silence in the room; then Clodagh spoke in a
completely different voice.

"Nance," she said, "there is something I want to tell you--something I
should have written to you, and didn't----"

Nance, in the swift relief of her sister's altered tone, sprang to her
feet; and, running across the room, threw her arms about her.

"And, Clo, there's something I ought to have written to you, only I was
too shy--and had to wait till I could say it like this, with my arms
round you----"

It was Clodagh's turn to look startled. She tried to hold Nance away
from her, that she might see her face; but Nance only clung the closer.

"Clo, you love me? Oh, say you love me!"

"Of course I love you."

"And you won't be vexed?"

"Nance, what is it? You frighten me! What is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing frightening. It's--it's about Pierce--Pierce
Estcoit----"

The words came forth with a tremendous gasp.

"What is it?"

"He--Clo, he wants to marry me. You're not vexed? Oh, Clo, you're not
vexed?"

At last Nance's arms relaxed, and she looked up beseechingly into her
sister's face.

In sudden nervous relief and amusement, Clodagh laughed; then her face
became grave again, and she drew her sister to her with deep, impulsive
tenderness.

"Vexed, darling?" she said--"vexed?"

Nance kissed her ecstatically.

"Oh, the relief of having it said!" she cried. "I have felt like a
criminal, keeping it to myself. But Pierce said I could do more with
one word than a dozen letters."

Clodagh looked down into the pretty, eager face, and laughed again
softly, though her eyes were full of tears.

"Pierce was right," she said. "I d